Delta govt urges calm as Ibusa protests alleged encroachment by Ogwashi-Uku
Delta State Government has called on the people of Ibusa and Ogwashi-Uku communities in Oshimili North and Aniocha South local governments to maintain peace amid renewed tension over a long-standing
Delta State Government has called on the people of Ibusa and Ogwashi-Uku communities in Oshimili North and Aniocha South local governments to maintain peace amid renewed tension over a long-standing land dispute.
Chief of Staff, Government House, Asaba, Prince Johnson Erijo, made the appeal while addressing members of the Ibusa community, who staged a peaceful protest to Government House over what they described as encroachment on their land by Ogwashi-Uku community.
The protesters, who carried placards with inscriptions such as “Ogwashi-Uku keep off from Ibusa land, we have Supreme Court verdict on the land”, “Implement Supreme Court judgment, Ibusa is a peaceful community,” and “Admiralty University is in Ibusa land, Ogwashi-Uku keep off,” called on the state government to enforce what they said were subsisting court judgments on the disputed boundary.
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Addressing the demonstrators on behalf of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Prince Erijo hailed Ibusa community for conducting themselves peacefully and assured them that the government was already taking steps to address the matter.
He said the state government had received correspondence on the dispute prior to the protest and had begun taking necessary steps.
“As a government, there are established procedures for handling matters of this nature, and I want to assure you that we are already acting on this communication. In fact, we were in receipt of this correspondence before your visit today, and steps had already been taken,” Erijo said.
He appealed to both communities to remain law-abiding, noting that government exists to ensure there is no breakdown of law and order.
“Be assured that the government will ensure law and order is maintained and that the issues raised are carefully examined. At the end of the process, the government will come out with a decision that will be fair, justifiable and in the overall interest of peace and stability,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of Ibusa community, Peter Lotobi, a lawyer, traced the history of the dispute, describing it as a long-standing boundary matter that had been determined by competent courts.
He said the case was first decided by the High Court, which delivered judgment after considering the boundary between Ibusa and Ogwashi-Uku.
He added that the decision was subsequently affirmed by the Court of Appeal in 1982 after the opposing party challenged it, and later upheld by the Supreme Court in Appeal No. SC.32/1985, which dismissed the appeal and affirmed the concurrent judgments of the lower courts.
“We are a peaceful and law-abiding community. We have exercised restraint and counselled our youths to remain calm. This is why we have brought this matter before Delta State Government,” Lotobi said.
He urged the state government to intervene, to ensure the judgments of the courts were upheld and enforced, in the interest of justice, peace and stability in the state.
