From our news desk, Benin
(C in white top);The Okaighele (youths Head) of Obadolovbiyeyi Village, Unuagbontokpa Godspower leading the youths in appeal to the necessary authorities
The people of Obadolovbiyeyi Village in Ikpoba -Okha local Government Area of Edo State, have made a passionate plea to the State Government, and HRM Oba Ewuare II to come to their rescue over alleged incessant harassment and intimidation by the Enogie of Obazagbon, HRH Victor Iyawe.
Enogie Iyawe allegedly frequently harasses and intimidate the people using security agents particularly the police, to arrest them for every imagined reason to him.
The Okaighele (youths Head) of the Village, Unuagbontokpa Godspower Onaghise while speaking on behalf of the people a couple of days ago, made the plea in a chat with journalists about recent developments in the locality.
He laments, Enogie Iyawe at his whims and caprice harasses and intimidate the people with police from the AIG, Anti-vice section; Zone 5, Benin following a boundary dispute which has a subsisting court order that status quo should remain until the disagreement is resolved. But the Enogie has chosen not to obey the court order, he alleged.
Okaighele Onaghise also accused one Madam Rosemary Ekogiawe who he said operates a borrow pit, as an accomplice of the Enogie.
Madam Ekogiawe claimed to had bought the borrow pit from Enogie Iyawe and now, it has been expanded to over one thousand plots; posing danger to residents, and threat to the Agbor Federal highway, Benin bypass.
Worried with the prevailing situation, madam Ekogiawe was summoned to meet with the people of Obadolovbiyeyi Village to deliberate about the way forward.
After measuring the entire land, it was discovered that 75 plots was left and the people seeing the devastating effects of the borrow pit, decided to stop her from further mining.
In reaction, she arrested the people of the Village to Ugbeku police station and this marked the beginning of the unceasing arrest, intimidation and harassments they have suffered from Enogie Iyawe and madam Ekogiawe; they termed: 'antagonists'.
"We have wanted to peacefully resolve the matter with her by ceding 20 plots to her and the Village to keep the remaining 55 plots.
"But dissatisfied, and in efforts to fight back she raised false allegations against me that I ordered the youths to beat her, and her money stolen.
"With the allegations, she arrested me but was however released some days later, after the police resolved that we should go settle the issues at home and come back to inform them of the outcome.
But after several appointments fixed for us to meet, madam Ekogiawe refused to turn up, so I decided to go to Government house to inform them of her failure to come.
"She need to come explain how she was beaten, where she sited borrow pit she should come and fill it and the people will then share the land with her; if not the Village will not give her any plot again.
"And for the certificate of occupancy of the land she is parading; that has nothing to do with the people of Obadolovbiyeyi because you can not collect C of O from Amagba Village to come operate in Idogbo and according to her claim; it was the Enogie of Obazagbon HRH Iyawe who sold the land to her but this is Obadolovbiyeyi's land; so she should go to the Enogie to talk about owning plot of land."
Okaighele Onaghise further laments that due to the unwholesome activities of the Enogie and madam Ekogiawe against the people of Obadolovbiyeyi; they have been living in perpetual fear of the unknown.
At various times, unknown persons in tinted vehicles will drive into the Village like spies; stop to just look at the people in the town hall, and thereafter they will drive away without saying a word to anyone, he alleged
Further expressing their fears, the Okaighele said there is reliable information that madam Ekogiawe is preparing to come into the Village with bulldozer to bring down the market and houses around.
"But that will be tantamount to been the law unto herself hence the appeal to the Government and the great Benin Monarch HRM Oba Ewuare II come to our aid."
Okaighele Onaghise on behalf of his people also passionately appeal to the Governor, Godwin Obaseki to help look into the activities of those mining sand in the contentious borrow pit in Obadolovbiyeyi Village; as it is a disaster waiting to happen, he noted.
But when contacted on the situation; activities of sand miners in Obadolovbiyeyi Village, the commissioner for environment and sustainability, Arch. Joshua Omokhodion said the State Government is aware and already working seriously to seeing how the situation could be salvaged.
Okaighele Onaghise however asserts that inspite of the unpalatable situation he preferred to regard as unnecessary distraction; Obadolovbiyeyi remains a peaceful Village, safe and secured.
He claimed, they have never been engaged in the notorious act of land grabbing; right from the days of the outlawed Community Development' Association (CDA).
As evidence, some developmental projects have been embarked upon; fine layouts created, as the construction of a modern market is on going amongst others.
"This is the reason we plead for the intervention of the Monarch, HRM Oba Ewuare II and the State Government so that we can concentrate on the growth and development of our ourselves and the Village."
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