By Simeon OSAJIE
A group known as ‘Ologbo-nugu Indigenes in the Diaspora’, has called on the Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo to revoke what they called “illegal” Certificate of Occupancy (CotO) given to a company in their community, in Ologbo-nugu in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of the state, saying that, it has brought about untold hardship on them.
An indigene of the community, Eguaogie Erhahon, made the call in a statement titled; “Land Grabbing in Edo State — A Cry for Justice and the Return of Our Lands” signed and made available to Journalists in Benin, in the Smstate capital.
He alleged that their farm lands were given to the company by the past administration without consulting with the people of the community.
Mr. Erhahon alleged that the lands are being guarded by military personnel, creating a high sense of fear in the minds of the inhabitants of the community.
Erhahon chronicled the situation in a statement that reads thus, “Fellow Nigerians and members of the press, I write today with a heavy heart about a grave injustice unfolding in Edo State. An injustice that endangers the very future and survival of our people.
“Recently, I have monitored a disturbing and heartbreaking pattern of land grabbing and some abuse of power that took place under the watch of the former Governor, Godwin Obaseki.
“His administration is alleged to have fraudulently allocated vast farmlands belonging to our communities to private interests.
“These lands, which are the lifeblood of our farmers and the backbone of our people’s sustenance, were stolen, unlawfully taken without our consent, without due process, and without regard for our customs and rights.
“Rather, what we witnessed was a pattern of intimidation, threats, and coercive methods used to forcefully push us off our land. The former governor allegedly employed soldiers not just as a show of power but as instruments of fear, engaging men of the Nigerian Army to harass and intimidate our farmers out of their ancestral lands.
“In many cases, these soldiers prevented our farmers from harvesting their crops or even confiscated what they had already gathered. Shockingly, these troops have remained stationed on the farms for over three years, creating a permanent military presence where there should be none.
“This raises serious questions about the role of the Nigerian Army, whether such operations are part of their official duties or a disturbing deviation from their primary responsibilities.
“How the Nigerian Army has assigned over 30 of its officers and men to a private farm, stationing them there continuously for over three years, is a stark testament to how far our country has fallen an unsettling manifestation of the joke that Nigeria has become.
“Our people, men, women, and children, were left helpless, stranded, and devastated. Communities were torn apart, divided among themselves, factions created just to facilitate the theft of what little we hold dear.
“Many believe and allege that the former governor was the mastermind behind these acts.
“There are strong suspicions that he may own or have a stake in the companies involved in perpetuating this injustice. This is not just a land dispute; it is a betrayal of trust, a violation of our dignity, and an assault on our very existence.
“The way these lands were taken is nothing short of being oppressive and brutal. Our communities, the rightful owners of these lands, were neither duly consulted nor were they adequately compensated.
“Instead, armed persons and thugs backed by the government used force to bulldoze our crops, destroying homes, and ripping apart the livelihoods of innocent people. Our people’s hard work, their ancestral farms lands, their dreams obliterated in the blink of an eye.
“Beyond that, they have not been given any buffer zones for community farming, further crushing their ability to survive and provide for their families.
“A particularly heart-wrenching example is my own ancestral home, Ologbo-N’ugu in the southern part of Orhionmwon Local Government Area of the state.
“Hundreds of acres of land have been stolen from my people, my own family. This is just a fraction of the thousands seized across the entire Local Government Area.
“These figures are not just numbers; they represent the hopes and dreams of families who have farmed this land for generations. Crops destroyed, dreams shattered, families displaced, and a tense, fearful atmosphere now hangs over our community. The faces of the children and the elderly haunted by the loss of their land and their future.
“Our community tried to fight back. On December 30th, 2024, we submitted a petition to the Attorney-General of Edo State, pouring out our pain, our desperation, and our plea for justice. We begged for intervention from His Excellency, Governor Senator Monday Okpebholo. But to this day, and our land remains under siege.
“What pains me most and what makes my heart ache deeply is that while most of communities in Nigeria are battling farmers-herders clashes with Fulani herdsmen, my people are suffering this other terrible menace land theft on top of that. Our community is caught between two giants, both threatening to crush us, and it is heartbreaking to see our people’s hopes diminish day by day, their sufferings seem to be systematically ignored.
“We are scared and devastated. we fear that if justice is not served, our people will be plunged into perpetual hunger, poverty, and despair. We call on the government to please do what is right. Revoke the illegitimate Certificate of Occupancy obtained through thuggery and violence under the former Administration.
“Return the land to its rightful owners. Hold accountable those who have betrayed us, and most urgently, compensate the victims, those who have lost everything, their homes, their farm crops, their future.
“My people are not opposed to genuine, lawful investments. We welcome sincere partners who approach us with respect and fairness. But we cannot accept a government with guns invading our land, deciding our fate without our voice, and trampling on our dignity.
“This is a cry from the depths of my heart, a plea for justice, for compassion, for humanity. Our land, our heritage, our future depends on it. I beseech the authorities to act swiftly, to hear our pain, and to restore our dignity before it’s too late”.