JUST IN: Ogbe-Ijoh warns govt to halt forceful demarcation of boundary

OGBE-IJOH community, Warri South West Local Government Area, Delta State,  has warned the state government to drop the alleged concession  of a portion of the community as boundary between the area and Aladja community in Udu LGA of the state.

A letter addressed to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa under the aegis of Ogbe-Ijoh Leaders of Thought by  Denbo-Denbo Oweikpodor, Chiefs Samson Oyimi, Lucky Oromoni, Gordon Donye, Afedolor Isaiah  and Roland Takembo said the move was  unacceptable to the community.

The letter, Vanguard, obtained, yesterday, said the community was not opposed to resolution of the crisis between the two communities, adding that any step by the government should, however, involve the community and should  be in conformity with a recommendation of a government committee on resolving the crisis.

“We are compelled to write this open letter to draw your attention to the growing tension arising from the forceful sharing of Ogbe-Ijoh land as boundary between Aladja community in Udu council area and Ogbe-Ijoh community in Warri South West LGA.

“Your Excellency will recall that the Ogbe-Ijoh and Aladja Boundary Committee, which had representatives from government and the two communities recommended a boundary line between Ogbe-Ijoh and Aladja communities, which was accepted by government.”

The community said a recent alleged demarcation of the area  done resulted in destruction of some houses and several valuables running into huge sums,  stressing  that the state government should immediately halt the exercise.

“However, to the surprise of the Ogbe-Ijoh people, the Chairman of Warri South West council, Mr. Taiye Tuoyo and his Udu LGA counterpart, Mr. Jite Brown, who is from Aladja community came together and decided to forcefully demarcate the boundary between the two communities contrary to the recommendation of the government committee and without the involvement of the Ogbe-Ijoh people.

“In the course of this forceful demarcation, from September 5 to 9, 2022, the Jite Brown and Taiye Tuoyo’s instituted and led demarcation Committee destroyed 11 houses in Ogbe-Ijoh and building materials worth millions of naira. The Ogbe-Ijoh people only got to know the extent of destruction of property in Ogbe-Ijoh by the committee, when angry youths mobilized to the site of the demarcation to stop further encroachment and destruction on Ogbe-Ijoh land.

“Consequently, we demand as follows: That the ongoing forceful demarcation of the boundary between Ogbe-Ijoh and Aladja communities should be stopped with immediate effect.

That the Delta State government should rebuild all the houses destroyed at Ogbe-Ijoh by the Jite and Taiye’s led Committee and those whose building materials were destroyed should be compensated.