For what is percieved as illegal detention of a village head and chief priest of the community, Ulegun Community in Ikpoba Okha local government are on a protest, asking Goveror Godwin Obaseki of Edo State to intervene in the matter.
As learnt by Truthlive.net, the Enogie of Ulegun Community, Sunday Eghosasare Omoregie and community chief priest, Phillip Uwuroya were arrested and detained at the instigation of highly placed individuals in the state.
This has sparked riots and protests in Monday in the community.
The protesters made up of land developers, mother of the community head, secretary to the community, youths among others, took their protest to the Government House, where they called on the state government to intervene and rescue them from the hands of those they described as “tormentors”.
The protesting villagers also appealed to Governor Godwin Obaseki to assist them in the immediate release of the community head and the chief priest that were detained at the Oba Market Police station since last Wednesday.
They alleged that over 80 houses had so far been demolished by their alleged tormentors, calling on Governor Obaseki to carry out a thorough investigation on the true ownership of the disputed lands, and arrest and prosecute those allegedly behind the heinous act.
The community’s Queen Mother, Rose Omoregie, while speaking to journalists, alleged that the community head was called for a meeting last Wednesday and that since then, he had not returned home.
She said they later found out that he was detained at the Oba Market Police Station on the order of the unnamed highly-placed institution.
Mrs Omoregie also explained that the Enogie inherited the land in dispute between the Ulegun Community and Ikhiri Community from his grandfather.
“This land dispute between the Ulegun community and Ikhiri community started in 1974 before the present Enogie was born. His grandfather won the case against the Ikhiri community in the court, his father also won in the court and he also won the case against the Ikhiri community. There was never a time, the Ulegun community allocated parcels of land to any highly placed personality”, she reiterated.
“We appealed to the state government to come to our aid and rescue us from the hands of our tormentors, release the Enogie and the chief priest”, she pleaded.
The Secretary to the community, Peter Aigbe, in his explanation said the land where houses were demolished was not in dispute as all cases concerning the said land have since been settled and resolved in favour of the community by the Supreme Court.
He disclosed that the former Chief Judge of Edo State, Justice Esther Edigin, ordered perpetual injunction, restraining the Ikhiri community from “further entering, selling, alienating, building and doing anything whatsoever that is adverse to the rights of the Ulegun community in and over the disputed parcel of land”.
According to Aigbe, “the court further nullified the acts of entering, selling off, building or any other thing (s) done in the land as the same amounts to trespass”.
Receiving the protesters, Osaigbovo Iyoha, Chief of Staff to Governor Godwin Obaseki, commended the community for the peaceful protest and for not taking laws into their hands.
He however assured them that the state government would explore all the necessary constitutional means to intervene with a view to addressing their plight.