The people of Oghede community in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State, on Monday, trooped out in their hundreds in protest against the alleged demolition of their buildings and existing structures including tombs of the dead, by soldiers drawn from the 4 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Ekenwan Barracks, Benin.
The protesting Oghede people alleged that the 4 Brigade personnel claimed ownership of the land on which the structures were erected.
According to them, soldiers from the Ekenwan Barracks invaded their community on Monday morning, claiming they had acquired their ancestral home without documents.
Speaking to journalists when they protested at the premises of the Nigerian Union of Journalists brandishing placards with several inscriptions, the people called for justice from the government.
A chief from the community, Festus Aghahowa, who led the protesting natives, said that the only acquisition the Army made was between 1964 and 1965 and a demarcation was made.
“We took the matter to the palace under Oba Erediauwa and he said the Army has not done any other acquisition apart from the one that was done during the reign of his father Oba Akenzua II and so the army should stay in their barracks and then instructed that a road should be constructed by the fence, the Commander then was immediately transferred.
“They are claiming they made a second acquisition whereas there is nothing like that. We have gone to court but they have been frustrating the efforts of the court with frivolous motions.
“The more we complain the harder they are to us, they are committing all sorts of atrocities, they have been using bulldozers and destroying already existing structures and even where people are buried they destroy the land including the dead. They said we cannot live and erect any structure within 200 feet,” Aghahowa explained.
One of the affected victims, Rev. David Ugolor, said the land his family acquired in 2013 to bury the wife of his elder brother who died in the US was bulldozed and the tomb destroyed.
Another victim, 90 years old Grace Ewere, said that the soldiers had told her to leave her house.
This was just as a widow, Faith Omoregie, said: “My late husband built a bungalow for me. I don’t have a child, so my husband’s family gave me the bungalow as my inheritance, that is all I have and now soldiers are saying I must pack out. We want the government to come to our rescue.”
Reacting to the development, the Spokesman, 4 Brigade of Nigerian Army, Captain Yemi Sokoya, denied the allegation.
“It is not true. People will go and fight their battle in the media instead of facing the truth.
“The land in question is Army land, but the community keeps selling the land to civilians. The Army took them to Court and ordered that nobody continue work on the land pending the determination of the matter but they kept selling, building and eating deep into the barrack.
“The matter is in Court and they should allow the court to do its work rather than rushing to the media with lies.
“We are waiting patiently for the verdict, the land belongs to the Army and they kept on selling and building on the land even after several warnings,” Sokoya maintained.
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