Edo govt takes possession of 1229 hectares of land in Irhirhi-Obazagbon-Ogheghe communities

Barely 24 hours after declaring a 24- hour curfew in Ihhiri-Obazqgbon-Ogheghe, the Edo State government, on Thursday morning, rolled in the bulldozers to reclaim a portion of land measuring 1229 hectares in the communities.

The government explained that the acquisition is for the development of a new town in the localities.

It was tears and sorrows as property owners on the expanse of land witnessed the demolition of their structures, which are at different stages of development, just as heavy-armed security personnel watched over the exercise.

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• Edo govt takes possession of 1229 hectares of land in Irhirhi-Obazagbon-Ogheghe communities
• Edo govt takes possession of 1229 hectares of land in Irhirhi-Obazagbon-Ogheghe communities

Explaining the rationale behind the early morning demolition, the Edo State government vide a statement endorsed by Crusoe Osagie, special adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki on media project, said that the land was acquired in 2017 for the new town project but had been encroached upon by land speculators.

The area repossessed, the statement further explained, used to be a forest reserve at the time of the acquisition.

The statement further clarified that the 24-hour curfew imposed on the area was to make way for the demolition and repossession exercise.

“The repossession exercise is part of Governor Godwin Obaseki’s renewed campaign against land-grabbers in the state, aimed at restoring sanity in land administration in the state.”

A senior government official, who pleaded anonymity, told Tribune Online that after acquiring the expanse of land from the community and the necessary agreements signed, the government put caveat emptor sinages, which those who resold the land removed.

“The government acquired the land from the community in 2016 and signed all agreements. The government left the land. We put about 24 signboards done at over N2 million. But the community people removed the signboards and sold the land.

“Government has come back to take the land for the net town development with all modern facilities. The acquisition from the community was gazetted and only those who had structures on the land before 2016 will be compensated. Those who started building after 2016 have no claim to compensation,” the government official explained.