Leaders of Edjekota-Ogor community in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta, has denied the allegations leveled against them that they are war with Ewu community in Ughelli South Local Government over a land dispute between some families from both communities.
This was made known by the community while reacting to a media publication were Ewu community accused people of Edjekota-Ogor of alleged harassment and intimidation after selling 13 acres of the land in dispute between both communities.
It would be recalled that several times persons were killed, properties were destroyed over land dispute between Edjekota and Ewu communities over five months ago.
The Ohwodo family of Ewu-Urhobo community in Ughelli South Local Government area has raised a fresh alarm alleging that Edjekota community sold 13 acres from the disputed land that led to a communal crisis and subsequent killing of several persons in April.
Ohwodo family alleged that despite the sales of the 13 acres of land, Edjekota community knowing that the only access road to Ewu community is through Edjekota, they are now using that as an advantage to unleashed horror, harassed, intimidate and even attempt to kill some individuals they have marked out.
They disclosed that any tricycle that passes through the Edjekota community coming from Ewu is always harassed, searched by Edjekota Vigilante Group and with utterances such as ‘we will get you all down’ as they brandish guns and machetes.
Denying the allegations, as reported by some media organizations, chairman of Edjekota community, Pastor Oghenemakpor Uyoh, urged the general public, security agents and the Delta State government to disregard the allegations leveled against the community as the matter is currently in court.
He said, “A man has a land opposite the community secondary school that was partially developed before some criminal elements went there to vandalize it and stole rods that were used for the development.
“After the vandalization, the man has to abandon the property until recently when he came back to restart the development.
According to him, “The particular land they are accusing Edjekota community of selling is not part of the disputed place and as I am speaking with you, the land in dispute is laying fallow pending the out come of the committee set up by the Delta State government.
“The land dispute is between some families of Edjekota and Ewu but the Ohwodo family of Ewu community want to drag the entire Edjekota community into it in other to cause crisis between both communities.
“Even before they went there to arrest some people early this year, the issue has been in court at Edjophe and arrest resulted into crisis that led to the death of some persons in our community”
“The Edjekota community are at peace with our Ewu people because we are brothers and there is no need to fight, it is just some families that want to cause this confusion and I want security agents to investigate the root of their allegations against Edjekota
On the alleged harassment of Ewu indigenes by Vigilant from Edjekota, Pastor Oghenemakpor Uyoh disclosed that recently the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, revealed that some suspected criminals were arrested in our community and as result, we have to beef up our security architecture to avoid future occurance.
“It would interest you to know that herdsmen has been terrorizing our people in their farmlands, raping our women and only recently they invaded the community and kidnapped one of our son, Ovo Onemu from his house and killed him in the forest.
“In one occasion of stop and search, Edjekota Vigilante intercepted two persons from the other community in a motorcycle with weapons and they were handed over to the police attached to Ughelli Area Command.”
“To tell you that we are not at war with Ewu community, just last weekend, I went with my brother to marry from their community and the ceremony was without any issues.
“If they are alleging that we are war, how come we went there to marry from them.
“That family from Ewu want to cause crisis between the two communities where there is non and I want the government to investigate their activities in other not to cause problem. He said
Speaking in the same vein, a community leader who never wanted his name on print said, “The family from Ewu that causing problem want sympathy from the public, the government and the committee set up by the Delta State government and the only way to achieve it to cry out and that is what they have done.
“Right from the very first time the incident happened, Edjekota people have been going to Ewu for ceremonies likewise the Ewu people and nobody have been under attacked from either side, so why now that the government is currently handling the matter
“Those claiming ownership of the land in dispute cannot establish any fact that they owe a piece of land in that place because the day the committee came for verification, they could point any place as their land.”
