The family of Chukwuedo Igwenwanne, Umuojeagu Quarters, Issele-Azagba,
Aniocha North local government area of Delta state has threatened to drag governor Ifeanyi Okowa before a competent court of law over the unlawful grabbing of their vast expanse of land along the Asaba-Benin expressway measuring approximately 199, 516.39sq meters (about 19.952 hectares).
The Igwenwanne family however vowed that unless the Okowa led Government relinquish the parcels of land forcefully collected from them, the shall fight with the last drop of their blood to reclaim what rightfully belong to them.
According to the family, the land is bonded by Ukwumedua family land of Issele-Azagba, in the North, Idumu-Isor family land of Issele-Azagba in the South and Udemegwuna family land in the West adding that the family cultivated and planted various economic trees such as palm trees, cashews, guava, coconut, agbono trees, rubber trees, bamboos, with an erected hut on the land.
The family while expressing shock over the unlawful and intimidating way and manner the Okowa led government forcefully grabbed their land from them, they stressed that they were taken aback when they stumbled on a publication by the Delta state government of revocation of a part of rights of occupancy in respect to the land in dispute measuring approximately 19.952 hectares of land shown in the survey Plan No: BJ/DT/Q2/108/2013 prepared by Surveyor Osakwe .E. Ogochukwu which the family rely on, on the Certified True Copy of the survey plan.
The family also stated that the state government did not strictly observed and ensured compliance with the relevant provisions of the Land Use Act as to acquisition of land as they were not issued and served a valid notice of revocation of the Igwenwanne family rights in respect of the land in dispute as required by section 44(a), (b) and (c) of the land use Act.
“The purported revocation of the Delta State Government deemed rights
of occupancy in the land is invalid, null and void abinitio. Delta State Government has not paid any compensation for the acquisition of the disputed land, by reason of the failure to pay such compensation, a condition precedent to the validity of the acquisition has not been complied with and efforts made to the government to rescind the said revocation proved abortive.
“We as a family have suffered so much
loss, damages and deprivation as a result of the actions of the Delta State Government. The state Government has continued to deprive the family of Chukwuedo Igwenwanne of their interest and use of the land and this prompted us to raise an alarm before Deltans and shall have no other option than to establish a suit in the law court against the Ifeanyi Okowa’s government.” the family said.
Reacting to the issue, the state Commissioner for Lands, Surveys and
Urban Development, Mr. Chuka Ossai said the Delta State Government did not acquire the land in Issele-Azagba unlawfully, adding that “the truth of the matter is that the land was in dispute between two communities, Issele-Azagba and Ogwashi-Uku and in one of the state executive council meetings it was decided that government takes possession of the land to enable peace reign while the part that was not in dispute was released to the communities.
“In a revocation of rights of occupancy and payment of compensation in pursuance of section 28 of the land use act cap L5, LFN.2004 signed by the Governor of Delta State, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, stated that notice was given that the rights of occupancy in respect of all the parcel of lands along Asaba-Benin express road between Issele-Azagba in Aniocha North local government area of Delta State of Nigeria and Azagba-Ogwashi-Uku in Aniocha South local government area of Delta State which is required by the government of Delta state for overriding public interest to wit: for public purpose within the Delta state was revoked.
“All that parcels along Asaba/Benin
express road between Issele-Azagba in Aniocha North local government
area, Delta state of Nigeria and Azagba-Ogwashi-Uku in Aniocha South
local government area of Delta state containing area of approximately 242.90 hectares have been revoked”. he stated.
