Residents of Issele-Azagba in Delta State are urgently appealing to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun for intervention in a land dispute that they fear could escalate into violence similar to the Okuama incident.
In a petition released on Friday, signed by their lawyer Mr. Larry Olisa, the community accused land grabbers from Okpanam of forcibly seizing land in the Akpoma quarters, destroying homes, and displacing residents.
The petition highlights that previous attempts to resolve the conflict through boundary agreements and peace committees have failed.
“The people of Issele-Azagba, being peace-loving, ceded parts of their land to the Okpanam community in 2010 to ensure peace between the two communities,” the petition stated.
“However, some members of Okpanam have breached this agreement, forcibly taking Issele-Azagba land with the help of armed thugs.”
The document reports recent violent clashes, including a brutal attack on Akpoma indigenes in Issele-Azagba by armed thugs from Okpanam, resulting in injuries and hospitalizations.
The petition also notes that despite a peace committee established by the Delta State Government and a separate committee led by Senator Ned Nwoko to resolve the issue, Okpanam has ignored the agreements.
“Land grabbers have even filed a suit against the state government and secured a court order to develop the disputed land, but instead of conducting a survey, they began bulldozing and erecting a perimeter fence,” the petition explained.
Additionally, Chinedu Okere, a real estate investor, is reportedly a victim of the land grabbers, who seized land he purchased from the Akpoma people and falsely branded him a criminal in a petition to the IGP.
The petition calls on the state government to delineate and enforce the agreed boundary lines and urges the IGP to take action against those responsible to prevent further escalation.
This plea follows a similar demand from the Ogbeozoma community in Okpanam, who last week also petitioned the governor and IGP, alleging an invasion of their land by gunmen from Issele-Azagba.
