Just In: Land dispute threatens burial of ex- Delta Governor

A family, Akpame in Agbarha-Otor Community of Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State has embarked on a peaceful protest against the plan to bury former Governor of Delta State, late Chief Felix Ibru in their land.

They insisted that the said land dispute has been on since 2014 in the Ughelli High Court with Suit No. UHC/708/2014 and that the Ibru family would have violated the law by building a tomb on the disputed land when the case has not been decided, which they said amounted to violation of court process.
 
The family had also said that the land in dispute was never sold or leased, that it was given to Chief Michael Ibru for the purpose of building a plastic industry for the development of the community as he requested and not a place for burial or cemetery.
 
In a statement signed by the Chairman, Okpame Land Committee, Mr. Johnson Atubi, Secretary, Mr. Emmanuel Ikogho and made available to newsmen said about 1976, Chief Michael Ibru, approached their family for a customary allotment of 20 acres of land, which he claimed would be used for the establishment of a plastic industry.
 
“The family who embarked on the protest said, Ibru had purportedly requested for the twenty acres of land from the Okpame family with a view to establishing a plastic industry, which till date had not seen the light of the day and also had not returned the land back to the rightful owner.
 
The statement said, “Chief Michael Ibru was accompanied by Chief J.J. Ajarho, Chief Isobi Ibru and Chief Jomoni Owherhi, where they met the Okpame family who was then represented by the family head, Pa Onovughe Onodje, the spokesman, Pa Daniel Obure, Pa Uduovie and others.
 
“On that day, Chief Michael Ibru told us (Okpame family) that he needed a land to be allotted him for the establishment of plastic industry, which according to him would bring development and employment to the community and particularly, sons and daughters of Okpame family.
 
“The family considering the status of  Ibru, agreed with him for a piece of land to be allotted to him for the establishment of the plastic industry as requested, since it was their believe that he would match his words.
 
“I want you know that each acre has eight plots and by this, the twenty acres will be One hundred and sixty plots of land, and by calculation if each plot is sold at N700,000, it will run into hundreds of millions but we are not ready to sell, he should return our land since the land could not be used for the purpose.

“Again, sometime June, 2010, we saw workmen in the land doing a different thing from the reason we gave it out for use, so, we (Okpame family) through our counsel wrote to Ibru on 10th May, 2013, on the new development and Ibru’s counsel equally replied on 28th May, 2013, saying that they want the land issue resolved amicably.
 
“The Okpame family is using this medium to call on the state, federal government and the general public to appeal to the Ibru family to release our land to us since it was not used for the purpose it was given to them.
  
“During the Okpame family protested and blocking of the entrance of the disputed land, members of the Ibru family, the Ughelli North Council chairman, Hon. Kenneth Ibru and the Agbarha-Otor President General, Prof. Sam Ibodje intervened, appealing to the protesters that the land issue will be settled soon, which has not been held till date.
 
“The land in dispute was founded by one of the Okpame family, who at one time a King of Agbarha-Otor with many slaves, whom he used to deforest many vast parcels of land in Agbarha-Otor, including the land in dispute.”

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