By ABEL JOHNGOLD ORHERUATA
UMUNEDE: Idumu Esegbena / Ozoba Communities in Umunede in Ika North East Local Government Area and Emuhu community in Ika South LGA are embroiled in crisis ranging from land dispute to alleged police intimidation.
Briefing the Press yesterday at the Agadagidi Civic Center (Umunede Town Hall), Chief Gabriel Egbule, the Oliha of Umunede, disclosed that the Idumu Esegbena and Ozoba quarters in Umunede in Ika North East LGA were sometime ago involved in a protracted land dispute with Emuhu community in Ika South LGA, which they (Umunede) won up to the Supreme Court.
Chief Egbule said the age long disputed Idumu Esegbena/ Ozoba Communities land, lying on the right hand side of the express when coming from Umunede, was purportedly sold by the people of Emuhu community, Agbor, Ika south local government area of the State to one Emmanuel Okonye who is now constructing Prince Paradise Estate on the illegally acquired land.
The Umunede respected Chief, who was the president general of the entire Umunede community some two decades ago, said that the owner of Prince Paradise had been intimidating and attacking his people with police and thugs, and further revealed that they had been in the said land dispute with Emuhu community since 1954.
According to Chief Egbule, “Following the conscious encroachment into our land, we decided to take the two families of Emuhu community who were sharing common boundaries with us to court by filing a case at Agbor High Court in 1969. And the case came before one Justice Obi and the court gave judgement in favour of my people, the Idumu Esegbena and Ozoba Communities of Umunede”.
Adding, he said “as expected, the Emuhu people appealed to the Court of Appeal in Benin City and the case came up before a panel of three Judges headed by late Justice Omoyiode but after a protracted legal battle which was obviously delayed because the head of the panel judges fell ill and was flown abroad for treatment, we were again given victory in judgement of the Court of Appeal Benin City”.
” Not satisfied with the Court of Appeal Benin City judgement, Emuhu people again appealed to the Supreme Court using late Chief Gani Fawhinmi as their lead counsel, who appealed to the Supreme Court that an appeal judgement ought to be given within three months but the Court of Appeal Benin City delayed judgement for more than the speculated three months
“The Supreme Court, listened to the prayers of Fawehinmi referred the case back to Court of Appeal and at the Court of Appeal, Benin City, the presiding judge re again awarded us victory by standing on the earlier judgement of the Court of Appeal.
Continuing, Chief Egbule said “Gani Fawehinmi appealed again to the Supreme Court on the ground that the delayed judgement of the Court of Appeal Benin City was quashed at the Supreme Court by referring the case back so Theresa was no way the new judge can uphold the former judgement in this case”.
Chief Egbule said unfortunately his people lost the case on technical grounds which they appealed to the Supreme Court where Idumu Esegbena and Ozoba quarters Umunede in present Ika North East LGA of Delta State finally got victory in 1994.
“But after this final victory, one John Okonye who was farming pineapple in the said land then came to begged us to be our tenant by paying rent for the said land to enable him harvest and continue his pineapple plantation. And because of our kind nature and hospitality, we entered into agreement with him which he was honouring till after four years that he breached the agreement.
“On enquiry from him, the tenant, John Okonye said he was asked to stop by the Emuhu community that they own the land which led to another tussle that made the Dein of Agbor and Obi of Umunede to set up panel of enquiry which Idumu Esegbena and Ozoba quarters in Umunede won and the Emuhu people were fined four goats.
“About four years ago, one Chief from Emuhu came to our Royal Majesty suggesting the selling of the disputed land to a housing estate developer to develop, a request our Obi rejected after due consultation that Emuhu community has no land there”, Chief Egbule disclosed.
He said the Emuhu people went behind and illegally sold the disputed land to one Emmanuel Okonye, who information available to them owned the Prince Paradise.
The revered Delta Chief and CEO of International Uniforms Ltd., Lagos, alleged that apart from going about boasting and lying that he wants to develop Ika land but Umunede people were against his planned, the said Emmanuel Okonye with his Prince Paradise had been attacking and intimidating Umunede people and that the security agencies compromised their duties.
Chief Egbule who noted that Umunede was never against development because they have given lands to Delta State Government to build Rest Park and also to the Federal Government for projects but was abandoned following the Goodluck Jonathan ouster, said the over eight police officers allegedly from Zone 5, Benin City almost murdered their new Arum and shot his wife, crippling her.
According to him, “the renewed land dispute took a new dimension when police officers drafted from Zone 5, pulled down the window burglary of Mr. Ikem’s residential house on No. 113 Old Umunede/Agbor Road, then Old Lagos/Agbor Road.
“The officers who came in three vehicles on mufti numbering between five and six allegedly made unsuccessful efforts to dismantle the entrance burglary before scaling through the burgled window into the house but the Arum’s wife, Mrs. Ebere, prevented them from taking her husband away after several hours of struggling, when the officers allegedly opened fire on the wife on both legs before help could come from the community youths and family members”.
He also alleged that Umunede people who went to their normal farm works were waylaid by Emmanuel Okonye’s thugs few days ago with all farm tools and motorcycles taken from them. And with the aide of the police the Umunede farmers were arrested on framed up charges of wanting to destroy Prince Paradise Estate, Emmanuel Okonye is building on the illegally acquired land.
Also speaking, Chief Augustine Aghaulor, a retired diplomat who worked with the United nations for twelve years, and the Igirigiri 1 of Umunede Kingdom, said he has been involved in peace keeping even in foreign lands, debunked the allegations by Emmanuel Okonye that he Chief Aghaulor, led boys to destroy his blocks and work.
Chief Aghaulor who condemned the forceful method Emmanuel Okonye was using to claim Umunede land, that it is not going to pay him, said he should stop using the police to harass and intimidate Umunede people.
“I also want to advise the investors that Emmanuel Okonye is deceiving them because the land does not belong to him. There’s no way he can rewrite history.
“Shooting the wife of our Arum, crippling her will not be spare. We must fight for Justice. His gangsterism method does not solve problem.” Aghaulor stated.
Chief Aghaulor, the Igirigiri 1 of Umunede Kingdom, condemned in very strong terms the invasion of the residence of the Arum and the shooting of his wife, saying it was an alleged murder attempted on the couple just as he warned that the police and whoever contracted them would not get away with the act.
The retired diplomat said no Umunede youth will go to Okonye for settlement when elders have given warning for them to steer clear of what they have no accurate knowledge of.