BY GODWIN NZEMEKA
THE apex ruling body in the Okpanam kingdom of Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, the Ugoani-in-Council, has called on the state government to checkmate the activities of a hotelier allegedly attempting to cause a crisis in the Ogbeozoma community over land possession.
The Council, in a petition to the Office of the Deputy Governor of Delta State, alleged that the expansionist activities of Akpoma Quarters of Issele-Azagba kingdom in Aniocha North Local Government Area, in trespassing on the landed property of Ogbeozoma Quarters of Okpanam in 2009, created boundary skirmishes, which led to the intervention of both the Chairmen of Oshimili North and Aniocha North Local Government Areas.
The letter, signed by the Ugoani of Okpanam, HRM (Dr) Michael Ogbolu stated that a truce brokered between the two communities to create a purported boundary road was rejected by Ogbeozoma community because of unprofessionalism inherent in the exercise, adding that Akpoma people in 2012, instituted an action at Issele-Uku High Court in suit No: HCI/5/2012, between Emma Mokogwu and Anor. (for themselves and on behalf of the entire members of Akpoma quarters of Issele- Azagba and Ogbueshi Emma Okocha and Ors.
The Council noted that on June 19, 2012, the Issele-Azagba people filed a purported terms of settlement, which they claimed was signed by all the parties in the suit, prompting the court to enter judgment the same day, making the purported terms of settlement the judgment of the court.
According to the petition, the Ogbeozoma community in 2021, instituted an action and prayed the court to set aside the purported consent judgment given in 2012, noting that upon service of the writ, the hotelier, mobilized some Issele-Azagba youths and thugs from across the River Niger with intent to maim and kill innocent members of the public and in the process shot one Ikechukwu Mokogwu, a member of Ogbeozoma community, who was rescued and taken to the hospital by the community, while the matter is still pending in the High Court of Justice, Asaba Division.
It was alleged that Issele-Azagba people, at the behest of the hotelier, entered Ogbeozoma landed property, including the area purportedly allotted to the Ogbeozoma community in the memorandum of understanding supposedly signed by the parties in the peace process brokered by the two local government authorities.
The Council disclosed that the hotelier in connivance with Issele-Azagba youths, Issele-Azagba vigilante group and thugs are presently patrolling the entire Ogbeozoma family land, armed with dangerous weapons in an attempt to enforce the order of the Issele-Uku High Court.
The Ugoani-In-Council passionately appealed to the state government to curtail the activities of the hotelier as it is capable of causing a crisis between the two communities.
