LAND CASE WITH EDO COMMUNITY NOT OVER- GEN IDADA

By Simon Begbulem
BENIN-Commander of 322 Artillery Regiment of the Nigerian Army, Gen. Idada Ikponmwen, has said the recent state High Court order asking parties to maintain status quo in the on-going legal tussle over a land between the Army and Oghede community in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State, was to avoid bloodshed or breach of peace in the community.

Trial judge in the matter, Justice A. Ehigiamusoe, had restrained the Army from further 'demolishing or continuing to demolish buildings belonging to members of Oghede community or arresting, detaining or dehumanising them in a manner inconsistent with the applicants rights over same with the force of arms or however, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.'

Ikponmwen explained that the Army had earlier presented an authentic C of O showing it legally acquired the 2,424 hectares of land from the then Midwest Government in 1965 and in 1994.

He said: 'The injunction should not be misconstrued to mean that the case had ended. It is just to ensure peace in the community because we had argued that the Army legitimately acquired the said land.'