Interstate movement and travellers were restricted for several hours as protesters from Edjekota community of Ogor barricaded the East West road over alleged land grabbing by some leaders and community heads from Ogor kingdom in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.
The peaceful protesters, mainly aged women, men and youths were displaying leaf branches buring tyres, alleged that some leaders and community heads are selling acres of land belonging to the Edjekota community without the knowledge of the rightful owners.
Speaking during the protest, the community protesters alleged the some prominent persons from the kingdom sold the acres of land and their ancestral pond to unknown persons without their knowledge.
According to a protester, Mr Sunday Monologue said, “We are protesting because we learned that the land we inherited from our forefathers is being taken over by some persons and on getting to the place, we saw bulldozer working.
“We have to stop them from bulldozing the land because if we loose it, it means we no longer have inheritance for our children to inherit.”
Pa Isaac Erutere 80, said, “This is the land of our forefathers, where we were born and brought up, we farmed here, but surprisingly, we saw bulldozer in our land that we did not sell, hence we are protesting.
“We want the government to intervene as we are yet to identify those who sell and those that bought. Our land is not for sale as it is the only inheritance from our forefathers.
“We don’t know the buyer and that is why we came emass to protest and alert the State and federal governments that people have encroached our land for the government to help us.”
The secretary of the Edjekota community, Mr Christopher Otobor said,”We are advising those encroaching our land to desist from doing so as we are not ready to sell any part or parcel of our land to anyone.
“Edjekota community is the owner of this land that is having boundary with Evwreni and Oghenerurien communities respectively and if those involved are not cautioned to stop , we would have no option than to be an autonomous community.”
On his part the Chairman of Edjekota, Pastor Oghenemakpor Uyoh said, “Few days ago, the community people were accusing me that I sold their land and they never believed my denial.
“As the community chairman, I cannot sell land that belongs to families in the community as I speak to you, my father did not have any land their and what does not belong to memor my family, I will not get involved.
“We want the government to help, we don’t want to sell land and whoever that bought any land should go and retrieve his or her money because that land along the East West road that belonged to Edjekota community is not for sale.
