Community Drags Gov Obaseki, FG To ECOWAS Court For Land Grabbing, Destruction Of Properties

By Osariemen Idiaghe

BENIN CITY- A community in Edo state has dragged the Federal Government and Edo state Governor, Godwin Obaseki to the Economic Community of West African States( ECOWAS) Court over forceful and violent land grabbing, destruction of properties orchestrated by the Edo State Government under the watch of Gov Godwin Obaseki.

The people of Oke-Oroma community in Ikpoba- Okha Local Government Area of Edo state filed a suit restraining the Edo state Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki from tampering with the community land, deity and agricultural assets which the court gave an injunction in favour of the plaintiff, the Edo State Government defiled the restraining order, went ahead to forcefully claim the community land without negotiations nor compensations.

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While the court order was still active, restraining the Edo State Government from tampering with the community, Governor Obaseki outsmarted the Edo people by declaring a 24 hour curfew on the said areas, just to achieve his desire to grab the land, irrespective of the court order.

One of the primary objectives of the government is to protect lives and properties which Gov Obaseki has failed to deliver in this regard.

The people of Oke-Oroma have established a suit against the Federal Government of Nigeria and the applicants sort the order of the indeterminate acquisition of the 714.750 hectares of land and destruction of houses, economic trees, ancestral deities and farm produce which constitutes a violation of the right to own properties, right to quality life, right to adequate compensation and right to self determination under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

The Edo State Government under the administration of Governor Obaseki, has desecrated the Oke-Oroma village deity. That is the Ogidigan deity, Osun-Ake Shrine and the founding fathers cemetery.

With such acts perpetrated by Gov Obaseki, no fewer than 400 families were rendered homeless in their home of origin which the government ordinarily would have protected.

Developing a new town in Edo State is not a bad idea, but not at the expense and detriment of the poor and local owners of such sites.