Security Operatives Arrest Six Protesting Land Owners Over Purported Demolition, acquisition by Edo Govt.

By Mike.ALADENIKA

No fewer than six persons from Oke-Oroma community, who, on Thursday, protested over the demolition of their property by the Edo State government, were arrested by security operatives within the premises of the National Museum in Benin City.

One of the protesters who spoke to newsmen on condition of anonymity said a combined team of security agencies made up of men from the Department of State Security Service (DSS) and policemen stormed the venue with three hilux vehicles full of personnel, two prado Jeeps, Armoured Tank and Machine guns after the protest.

The source said the protesters were in the museum premises to round off the protest when the security agencies stormed the venue and made away with five persons, including one Comrade Ojo Collins stressing that the whereabout of the arrested persons remains unknown.

Reports say the  people of Oke-Oroma community as well as land developers had earlier in the morning taken to the streets to protest against the demolitions of their property and alleged forceful annexation of their land by the state government.

The traditionalists cladded in red attires, carrying clay pot filled with substances and a chicken to add an impetus to the seriousness of the protest as well as masquerades were also not left out in the protest.

It was gathered that the shrines of the traditionalists located in the community was among the plots taken over by the state government.

The protest however climaxed at the ministry of Housing, Urban and Regional Planning, and Development as well as the ministry of Justices where the traditionalists with barehand slaughtered live chicken, danced round the clay pot and recite some incantations calling on their ancestors to come to their aid and fight those allegedly taking over their ancestral lands from them

Addressing the protest, Madam Inibokun Monday, Mr Terry Ilevbare, Monday Edo Omorogiuwa and Comrade Emmanuel Aigbogun, Public Relations Officer, Talakawa Parliament accused the Edo State government of contempt of court.

They alleged that an Edo High Court, sitting in Benin City and presided over by Vestee Eboreime had on August 4, 2022 restrained the state government and its agents from taking possession of their disputed land pending the determination of the substantive suit.

While lamenting that state government who is supposed to obey the rule of law now acting contrary noted that the government cannot be a judge in their own case.

The protesters who added that the community had been existing for the past 2000 years, urged the state government to produce the documents for acquisition of the 1229 hectares of their land.

The protesters accused the state commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of not properly advising the state government on the implications of court of contempt.

They, however, vowed not to end the protest against the demolition and the alleged forcefully annexation of their land until justice is done.

Recall that the State Government had on November 2, 2022 revealed  that the alleged land grabbers collected over N1.5billion from their preys in the last two years.

The Edo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare ,who  gave the revelation at a press conference told newsmen that the information was obtained from 499 people who are victims of land grabbers that came for data capturing and enumeration.

Nehikhare said the money was collected from the victims by the land grabbers between 2020 and 2022 respectively

He, however, disclosed that the victims of the land grabbing will be restituted from whatever it was able to get from the land grabbers especially from the N1.5billion.

The commissioner added that the names of those identified will soon be announced, charged to court and prosecuted.

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