By Ijeoma Umeh
Benin City – A Petitioner, Mrs Enor Akagbosun has, on behalf of the NEPA District Staff Multipurpose Cooperative Society, brought a petition before the Edo State Private Properties Protection Committee against the Obenevbuebo Community in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State.
The matter was among 25 cases of land disputes heard by the Committee at its sitting yesterday, Monday, December 19 in Government House, Benin City.
The Petitioner is claiming 75 Plots against 50 the elders of Obenevbuebo Community said they sold to her.
“I bought 50 Plots from the Obenevbuebo Community, but as soon as they realized that development had reached the area where the plots were situate and in order to maximize the potentials accruing from the land, they relocated me to somewhere else.”
The Petitioner also claimed that the Community however gave her additional 4 plots as compensation for the relocation and another
4 Plots for the levy for crops she had paid on the original 50 plots that the community was unable to refund to her.
She stated that she was shocked when her attention was drawn to a second ploy to relocate her to another land, and that this time, it became an issue.
“They removed my pillars this time around. The 8 Plots for both compensation and crops subsisted in this second relocation, but they are claiming I will not get it. However, I am claiming 75 plots and not 58, based on the measurements as contained in the survey plan.” The Petitioner, Mrs Akagbosun told the Committee.
She also revealed that she had carried out some Corportate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the community and environs, bringing electricity, water and grading link roads in Obenevbuebo Community and environs.
Mr Lovely Obobaghie, one of the Respondents in the matter and representative of the Obenevbuebo Community stated that the 50 plots the Petitioner paid for was intact, and that he was not aware of the 8 Plots for both the Compensation and Crops the Petitioner is claiming that the community gave to her, nor how she arrived at the 75 plots being currently claimed.
“We gave her 50 Plots which she paid for. She however extended it to 75 Plots on her own, and failed to bring her survey plan when it was requested, a survey plan she went on her own to do without involving the community in order for us to have a clear measurement. After doing the survey, she also refused to tender a copy for us to sight. When we relocated her, she did not hesitate. She accepted it in good faith, but as it is now, her claims is causing trouble for us. ”
Interrogated by the Committee on the reason the Petitioner was relocated to another place, the Respondent maintained that the Petitioner kept expanding on her portion and causing the community issues, but the Petitioner insisted it was a deliberate attempt to gain from the emerging development in the area.
The Committee, led by Hon. Justice Alero Edodo-Eruaga(Retd) has told both Petitioner and Respondent to ensure more witnesses are brought to testify before the Committee in the matter with a view to reaching a peaceful resolution.
“We need all the parties involved who served in leadership positions, from the original purchase, to the first and second relocation.” Hon. Justice Alero Edodo-Eruaga stated.
The matter has been adjourned till February 2023.
