The residents of Issele-Azagba in Delta State are calling for urgent intervention from Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to prevent an escalating land dispute with Okpanam that threatens to erupt into violence similar to the tragic Okuama incident. The Okuama incident resulted in the deaths of 17 military personnel during a communal clash over land in the Bomadi and Okuama communities in Delta State.
In a petition signed by lawyer Mr. Larry Olisa, the Issele-Azagba community accused land grabbers from Okpanam of forcibly taking over land in the Akpoma quarters, destroying homes, and displacing residents. Despite previous efforts to maintain peace through boundary agreements and peace committees, these measures have failed. The community is urging the government and police to enforce the agreed boundary lines and take action against those causing trouble before the situation worsens.
The petition highlighted that the Issele-Azagba community had previously ceded parts of their land to Okpanam in 2010 to promote peace between the two communities, with representatives from both sides signing an agreement. However, members of Okpanam allegedly breached this agreement, seizing Issele-Azagba land with the help of armed thugs. The conflict has already resulted in loss of life and injuries, with recent attacks on Akpoma indigenes who are currently receiving treatment for gunshot wounds.
The Delta State Government had previously established a peace committee to address the issue. However, the land grabbers filed a lawsuit against the state government, indicating their refusal to submit to any authority. Even efforts by Senator Ned Nwoko, who established a committee headed by former commissioner Mr. Dan Okenyi, have not resolved the crisis.
The Issele-Azagba community accused the Okpanam community of ignoring a court-ordered boundary survey, instead bulldozing and erecting a perimeter fence in the disputed area. The ongoing encroachment has left many Issele-Azagba residents homeless and living in fear of potential violence. The petition warned that without swift intervention from authorities, the situation could escalate into an inter-communal war.
Additionally, the petition mentioned that business mogul Chinedu Okere, who has investments in real estate, has been victimized by land grabbers who seized his property in Akpoma and branded him a criminal in a petition to the IGP.
The Issele-Azagba community called on the state government to delineate and enforce the existing boundary lines agreed upon between the two communities, emphasizing that Okpanam has breached a consent judgment delivered by Justice Philomena Obanor at the Issele-Uku High Court in 2012. The petition also appealed to the IGP to bring the perpetrators to justice and prevent a looming communal crisis.
In response, the Ogbeozoma community of Okpanam in Oshimili North Local Government Area also petitioned the governor and IGP, demanding an investigation into an alleged invasion of their land by armed men from Issele-Azagba, who reportedly shot and brutalized their people.
