Protesters from the Edjekota community in Ogor, Ughelli North local government area of Delta State on Monday barricaded the East-West road.
The demonstration was in response to allegations that some leaders and community heads of Ogor Kingdom had unlawfully sold acres of land belonging to the Edjekota people without the knowledge of the rightful owners.
The peaceful protest disrupted interstate movement, and travellers were restricted for several hours, as men, women, and youths of the community displayed leaf branches and burned tyres while voicing their grievances.
They accused certain influential individuals of selling their ancestral land and ponds to unknown buyers without consulting the community.
The protesters have urged both the state and federal governments to intervene and investigate those involved in the alleged land sale. They insist that the land rightfully belongs to the Edjekota community and will not be given up under any circumstances.
Speaking during the protest, Mr. Sunday Monologue emphasized the community’s determination to reclaim their heritage.
“We are protesting because we learned that the land we inherited from our forefathers is being taken over. When we got to the site, we saw bulldozers working on it. We had to stop them because if we lose this land, our children will have nothing to inherit,” he said.
Pa Isaac Erutere, an 80-year-old resident, also expressed his distress over the issue saying, “This is the land of our forefathers, where we were born and raised. We farm here, and now, without our consent, bulldozers have been brought in. We demand government intervention because we still do not know who sold the land or who bought it. Our land is not for sale, it is our only inheritance.”
The secretary of the Edjekota community, Mr. Christopher Otobor, warned against further encroachment.
“We advise those trying to take over our land to desist immediately. We are not selling any part of our land to anyone. Edjekota owns this land, which shares boundaries with Evwreni and Oghenerurien communities. If this issue is not addressed, we will have no option but to seek autonomy.
“We are calling on the government to intervene. We do not want to sell our land, and anyone who has purchased land there should retrieve their money because the land along the East-West Road that belongs to Edjekota is not for sale,” he said.
When contacted, the chairman of the Edjekota community, Pastor Oghenemakpor Uyoh, denied accusations that he was involved in the sale of the land.
“A few days ago, people accused me of selling our community’s land, but I have never done such a thing. As chairman, I cannot sell land that belongs to different families. My own father did not even own land there, so I have no business in this matter,” he added.
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