Oke-Oroma Responds To Iduoriyekemwen’s Petition, Says Amagba Guilty

By Kadiri Christopher

The Odionwere (eldest man) of the Oke-Oroma Community in Ikpoba-Okha local government area of Edo State has recently filed a counter-petition against Hon. Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, describing the petition as baseless.

In a petition signed by Gaius Emokpae, the Odionwere of Oke-Oroma, with the subject, RE: SERIOUS THREAT TO LIVES AND PROPERTIES AND ATTEMPT TO FRAME UP FALSE ALLEGATION AGAINST HON. MATTHEW AIGBUHUENZE IDUORIYEKEMWEN: PETITION AGAINST MR. GAIUS EMOKPAE AND PASSIONATE APPEAL FOR THE POLICE TO INTERVENE, Pa Emokpae said Hon. Matthew Iduoriyekemwen has falsely and maliciously accused him of assassination attempt.

Responding in a six-page counter-petition, Pa Emokpae said, “I maintain that there is no iota of truth in Hon. Matthew Iduoriyekemwen claims and assertions. Rather, Matthew Iduoriyekemwen is the author and cause of the problem of killings, kidnapping, raping, cult clashes, destruction of properties and land grabbing in Oke-Oroma, Amagba and environs since 2012.

“He is guilty of exactly what he is accusing me of.  Hon. Iduoriyekemwen is a politically exposed person (PEP) and has been in government for over 20 years and has held high offices at different times in the past. He has used the position of influence to oppress many neighbouring communities including Oke-Oroma to grab their land. His father is the Odionwere of Amagba and his cousin, Peter Orhionmwen aka Ebo Amagba, is the field general he uses to do the hatchet jobs.

“These triumvirate personalities control 99 percent of the economy of Amagba. The land alone that houses his palace can attest to greed and control of every sphere.

“I have written several petitions against him, his father (the Odionwere) and Peter Irhionmwen aka ‘Ebo Amagba’ to the Commissioner of Police (CP), Edo State Command, Inspector General of Police, (IGP) the Assistant Inspector General of Police, (AIGP), Zone 5, Benin City, calling for his own investigations for the killings in our community and environs. He uses his position to influence, to kill or frustrate all our moves, I am the complainant in all the petitions while he, his father and Peter Irhionmwen are the defendants.

“What he is doing now with this spurious false petition is to turn himself into the complainant and make me the defendant. All the subsisting petitions against him have not been concluded. The Police Force should not allow this abuses of police process. The crux of the subject matter is our ancestral land, Oke-Oroma. While Oke-Oroma Community is in Ikpoba-Okha LGA, Amagba Community is in Oredo LGA. It is a well-known fact that Amagba has expansionist quest for a long time and hence they are regarded is the number one land grabbers in Benin Kingdom. They are known among others, to have conquered the following villages in the past with impunity. The conquered villages Ugbo, Evbukbu, Ogheghe, Uhunoke/Ago Uwagboe and Ogumwenyin.

“In 2012, they focused on Oke-Oroma village because we have extensive large expanse of land unsold and undeveloped. They seemed to control the security agencies in the state. They have political leverage and crude fighting machinery infrastructure in place that no community in the state has been able to challenge them or dare them. Amagba, led by Matthew Iduoriyekemwen in 2012, triggered this communal war with us which was motivated by their greed and insatiable expansionist quest.

“His Royal Majesty, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Ōba Erediauwa of blessed memory pronounced definitively and put the matter to rest on 23rd day of June, 2012 when His Majesty upheld the historical fact that  Oroma constitutes the natural boundary between these two communities.

“Furthermore, I wrote this counter-petition on the foundation of my firm belief that it is only a truly professional investigation of this matter and diligent prosecution of those responsible for these brazen criminal acts that would provide the ultimate panacea for the attainment of peace in Oke-Oroma Community. Twelve years of oppression and brutal injustice is no joke”, he said.

The counter-petition stated that some youths from Amagba who were arrested in Oke-Oroma were released following Hon. Iduoriyekemwen’s intervention.

Pa. Emokpae reiterated how several attempted murder were carried on him by those he described as Amagba warlords.