The people of Enhwe community in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State, have commended the release of Prince Engineer Larry Eduvie Efekodha from detention in Abuja after police investigations reportedly found no evidence linking them to criminal allegations earlier levelled against him over the lingering dredging dispute in the community.
The release of the prince sparked jubilation across the kingdom as women, chiefs, youths and supporters gathered at the palace to welcome him and others home after days in detention at the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Abuja.
The community had earlier staged protests demanding his release and accusing security operatives of attempting to intimidate residents opposing the illegal dredging activities.
It would be recalled that, Prince Larry Eduvie Efekodha, Evang. Collinus Dominic, Mrs Ochuko Nepa, Ogheneovo Peter, and one other were arrested detained in Asaba and flown to FCID in Abuja, following their demand for compensation and from the company unchecked dredging activities in the community.
Speaking during the gathering, Her Royal Majesty Queen Betty Efekodha, Executive Assistant to Delta State Governor, on Women Mobilisation and former Commissioner for Women Affairs, alleged that the crisis was triggered by the destruction of a major farm access road by trucks conveying sand for the company’s dredging operations.
She said, “They are gathered here to welcome the prince, Prince Larry Eduvie Efekodha, that was arrested over issues concerning the farm road that the women are always using to go to their farms.
“The trucks they are using to transport sand have destroyed the access road and the women no longer have access to their farms.
“They cannot even push their carts again and for over one month they have not been going to the farm as their cassava is getting rotten in the ground.”
“They arrested my son, the women leader, the youth leader and another man. They took them to Asaba and later flew them to Abuja.
“They said my son is a murderer, a gun runner and involved in all sorts of criminal activities. But when the police came for investigation, they found out that all the allegations were false,” she added.
She commended the Inspector-General of Police and the Commissioner of Police for ordering an independent investigation into the matter.
“I thank God that the Inspector-General and the Commissioner of Police sent officers to verify the claims. They came here and saw that there was nothing incriminating against my son,” she said.
Speaking after his release, Prince Engineer Larry Eduvie Efekodha described his detention in Abuja as “very unpleasant,” insisting that the community never demanded any illegal development levy rather royalty.
“There is nowhere and no time that I or anybody from this community requested development levy from anybody. What we requested for is royalties and compensation, which is applicable in other host communities where sand is dredged.
“As we speak, they are still continuing their dredging activities in our land without our consent,” he alleged.
He described the activities of the company as exploitation that had caused destruction of farmlands and the major road leading to the community’s farming settlements.
“What is taking place there is exploitation. What is taking place there is destruction of our farmlands and the access road to the largest farm settlement in Enwhe,” he said.
Prince Efekodha appealed to Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Delta State Government and Isoko South Local Government authorities to intervene in the matter.
“We are asking the federal government, the state government and the local government to intervene because we do not want to take laws into our hands,” he stated.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Council of Chiefs, Chief Enahoro Onowotu and Chief Umukoro Isaac alleged that the traditional institution was sidelined in dealings between the contractor and some individuals in the community.
“The President-General allegedly collected money from the contractor without informing the palace or the chiefs,” he claimed.
He further alleged that the dredging activities had destroyed aquatic life, vegetation and the road used daily by women farmers.
“The women can no longer pass through the road with cassava, firewood and other farm produce,” he said.
According to him, the company previously paid royalties to the community before allegedly stopping payment about four years ago.
“For about four years now, he has not been paying. No person demanded development levy from him. We only asked him to pay for the usage of the land,” he added.
The Youth leader of the community who was also arrested and flown to FCID, Ogheneovo Peter, commended the outcome of the police investigation.
“The police handled the matter professionally and found out the truth,” he said.
The community leaders, women and youths demanded immediate compensation for affected farmers, payment of outstanding royalties, rehabilitation of the damaged farm access road and an end to what they described as exploitative dredging activities.
