Aladja/Ogbe-Ijoh communal crisis: We will fight with all legal means to retain our land — Group

By Samuel Ogude

A group under the auspices of Aladja People’s Movement For Peace has said they can not fold their arms and allow the Delta State government led by Rt Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori to cede their God-given  land which is in  dispute to Ogbe-ijoh people saying they would fight with all legal means available to  retain their land.

The group made this known when speaking to newsmen over the weekend. Speaking on behalf of the group, the Co-ordinator of the group, Comrade  Simon Sibitor and Secretary, Comrade  Ejovwo  Tietie    posited that the Governor of  Delta State, Rt. Hon Sheriff Oborevwori has played into the hands of Ijaw nation since the Aladja and Ogbe-ijoh crisis saying that Ogbe-ijoh people have been clamouring for the acquisition of land in dispute by the government.

The group said, the position of Aladja people has always been that the government as a matter of necessity should  first,  tell the world who actually owns the land.

According to the group, the government of Dr Emmanuel Ewetan Uduaghan and that of the immediate past Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa never ceded to the demand of Ogbe-ijoh people by acquiring the land by force as both Governors know that the disputed land does not belong to Ogbe-ijoh hence they did  not agree  to  the demand. of the Ogbe-ijoh people.

The group said, “The Government of Dr Emmanuel Ewetan Uduaghan did not agree to the demands of the Ogbe-ijoh of acquiring the land by force neither  the government of Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur  Okowa did same.”

According to the group, the  government of Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori has not even deemed it necessary to visit the disputed area before thinking of agreeing  to the demands of Ogbe-ijoh people by ceding  land to them. The group said, the land in dispute belongs to Aladja people adding that, if the government wants to acquire the land by force, it must be prepared to kill everybody in Aladja.

The group said, the land the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Kingsley Emu is about to cede to Ogbe-ijoh people is what they(Ogbe-ijoh)  could not take from Aladja people through the barrels of the  gun.

The group said, there was no denying the fact that a meeting conveyed by the state  government headed by the SSG to discuss a way forward between Aladja and Ogbe-ijoh people saying, the representatives of Aladja Community were shocked to see that  there was already a prepared resolution by Dr Kingsley Emu, the SSG, for the people of both communities to sign using minority report of Ogbe-ijoh in Professor Abedinigo Ikoku’s Panel instead of a majority report that was  adopted by the then government of Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa.

The group said,  from the attitude of the SSG, Dr Kingsley Emu, it  has become obvious that Dr Kingsley Emu has compromised and doing the biddings of his pay masters. The  group therefore said Aladja People said “No” to the acquisition of their land by the government.

Recall that it was reported the land dispute between Aladja Community and Ogbe-ijoh has been settled.