Palpable Fear Over Alleged Land Enchroachement in Igbodo/Onicha-Ugbo Communities IN Delta State
By Ameachi Prosper
Palpable tension and fear of the unknown have continued to mount over alleged land encroachment in Igbodo / Onicha-Ugbo Communities in Delta State.
While the aggrieved youths of Igbodo Community, Ika North East Local Government Area of the state are alleging encroachment on their land by the native of Onicha-Ugbo and manager of a new generation Bank (name withheld), the Bank Manager was alleged to have hired armed thugs recently to attack some youths from Igbodo who dared challenged his ownership of the disputed land.
But the Police Commissioner in the state, Mr. Zanna Ibrahim in a swift reaction, said the police forestalled the breakdown of law and order in both communities, adding trouble makers would be brought to book upon intervention of the law enforcement agency.
Eye witness said the Banker in company of the alleged thugs, brandish pump action guns and shot sporadically into the air to scare the Igbodo youths who had allegedly mobilized to the disputed land.
Stakeholders of both communities, one of them, Mr. Clement Okafor however sued for peaceful co-existence, saying the dispute will be amicably resolved. His words; “We are neighbours and we can’t be seen fighting over land, efforts are ongoing to resolve the dispute and live amicably” Unconfirmed sources said aggrieved Igbodo youths had sometime last month reported alleged criminal activities on their farm land to the police at the Area Command Asaba, but the Banker allegedly refused to honour the police invitation extended to him.
Speaking further, the state police boss warned those causing trouble in both communities to steer clear off as the long arm of the law would not spare them in their continued lawless activities with palpable tension and fear of the unknown hanging in the air at both communities, some elders of Onicha-Ugbo Community, one of them, Mr. John Isiche said the dispute over the alleged encroachment was being resolved, adding that the people of both communities are peace loving ones who will not subscribe the crisis over land dispute.
