Crisis is said to be currently brewing in Okpanam community, Oshimili North local government area of Delta state,
following land grabbing activities of the councillor representing Okpanam ward 9, Oshimili North local government council legislative arm, Mr. Alex Chibuzor Okocha.
Mr. Okocha, HardReporters gathered has penchant for land grabbing and encroachment of properties belonging to individuals and indigenes of the community, using his advantage position as a councillor to intimidate indigenes and take away their land in Okpanam, a suburb of Asaba.
In a petition by one of the victims of Mr. Okocha’s land grabbing escapades, Mr. Ndubuisi Nkenchor through his lawyer, Mr. Ugbah, demanded the
immediate removal of all structures illegally erected by Mr. Okocha on Mr. Nkenchor land in the community within 48 hours. According to Mr. Ugbah, his client is the bonafide owner of the
contested land which he inherited from his late father, Fredrick
Nkenchor.
It was gathered that the petitioner had erected a building on the land which is presently housing his mother, Mrs. Caroline Nkenchor and the younger brother, Mr. Jude Nkenchor.
HardReporters also learnt that when the petitioner’s younger brother, Jude Nkenchor confronted the councillor to know why he went and illegally erected a structure on the land without the consent of his elder brother, the petitioner, he was mercilessly beaten to a state of coma by hired political thugs suspecting to be working for the councillor.
“The matter was reported in Okpanam police station where some of the suspected hired thugs worming for the councillor were arrested but were later released on bail after statements were extracted from them. Painstaking efforts made by Diokpa Okadachi to resolve the land dispute between Alex Okocha and the petitioner met deadlock as a result of the dagger war caused by the councillor at the venue of the peace talk.” an impeccable source at the peace meeting said.
Some time ago, an indigene of Okpanam simply known as Robert Chukwudi, had
raised an alarm of threat to his life by the lawless councillor for discussing
with the brother of the petitioner.
As at the time of filing in this report, all efforts to speak with the councillor proved abortive as his mobile line could not be reached.