The current regime of forceful and illegal acquisition of other communities’ lands reportedly by the Ogwashi-Uku monarch, His Royal Majesty Obi Ifechukwude Aninshi Okonjo would soon come to an end as the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori is eagerly waiting for the Commission of Inquiry on land disputes involving Obi Okonjo to submit its report.

This was made known on Friday when no fewer than 30 youths from Ubulu clan staged a peaceful protest in front of the Government House, Asaba, Delta State, calling on the Governor to quickly intervene into the activities of Obi of Ogwashi-Uku and his accomplices in Ubulu-Okiti, Aniagbala-Ubulu-Uku “as their actions amount to promotion of native war, land grabbing and unlawful trespass and threat to life.”

Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Mr. Kingsley Emu who represented the Governor in receiving the peaceful protesters said “we have listened to your complaint. The Governor in his wisdom through the State Security Council had actually set up a Commission of Inquiry to look into most of those allegations that have been brewing and fight that have been all over and everything pointing towards the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku, HRM Ifechukwude Okonjo.

“The security council had invited him thereafter and he was asked to stay away from all of these until the Commission completes its assignment. Luckily, they are almost completely the assignment. In January 2025 by the special grace of God, they would have been through and government would do the normal thing of going through the recommendations because it is a Commission of Inquiry.”

Speaking further, the SSG said the Governor received numerous petitions from various communities over land grabbing and “the announcement was that any community that was affected, afflicted or concerned should come up with memorandum and state its case and position.

“So this legitimacy claim would be sorted out by the Panel of inquiry headed by a serving judge in the state. The Panel is also made up of very reputable and responsible people who do not have any personal interest and will never have. They are not people who can be bought over.”

Earlier, the protesting youths who were displaying placards condemning the expansionist tendency of the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku had read out a letter addressed to the Governor. They were led by the President of Ubulu-Okiti youths, Mr. Nwabuebo (a.k.a. Omokaro).

Contents of the letter, copies of which were given to journalists had revealed that “some citizens of Ubulu-Okiti community including Chiefs and vigilante members were arrested and currently in detention by the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 5 at the behest of the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku since the 21st day of December, 2024.”

The letter which was written by the communities’ lawyers named Breakthrough Legal Consults, dated 24th December, 2024 and signed by C.I. Afamefune-Agbakor Esq has also stated that “the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 5 Police Headquarters, who is obviously compromised by the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku, has refused them bail despite the allegation against them being bailable.

“We wish to state that the AIG Zone 5 is part of the reason why the land grabbing escapades of the Obi Ogwashi-Uku has subsisted unabated as he is holding his brief, all through the interview and never allowed our community representatives to speak, whereas the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku and his accomplices were not present or represented as the AIG was the one doing their case and at the same time conducting investigation in the same case.”

Reacting to this, the SSG said “we note very strongly the use of police from Zone 5 to torment or harass you as you have alleged.” He assured that the Governor would look into it.

The SSG while appreciating the peaceful approach adopted by the youths in their protest, admonished them to keep being peaceful as any resort to violence would not help matters.

On behalf of the Government, the SSG assured that within the next two months at the maximum, the Panel of Inquiry’s report would have been submitted and acted upon by the government as the Governor did not take for granted anything that has to do with the security of the state.

In their letter to Governor Oborevwori, appealing for his urgent intervention, the youths had emphasised that “this appeal is of extreme urgency, owing to the continuity and consistency of the land grabbers’ activities which have occurred for almost a year now, unabatedly and despite our community efforts to stop them.”

They intimated the Governor with the claim that their community was at the verge of extinction “as our arable land that our community had enjoyed peaceful farming activities for over a century is being violently annexed by these violent land grabbers.”

It would be recalled that the Ogwashi-Uku monarch has been in the news in recent time over his moves to violently take over lands that are within the territories of Ubulu-Uku and Ubulu-Okiti with a forged document purporting to be a court judgement ceding to him and Ashi Industries Limited over 600 hectares of lands that belong to Ubulu clan which in any case are far located from Ogwashi-Uku territory.

In spite of Delta State Government’s order a few weeks ago restraining the Ogwashi-Uku monarch and his agents from further encroachment on the lands until the Commission of Inquiry submits its report, the King has continued to use his thugs and policemen from Zone 5 Police Headquarters to breach the state government’s order.

In the process, economic trees, farm crops and other things have been destroyed by the monarch’s agents and thugs. About 6000 palm trees, 100 beehives, CCTV cameras, inverters all belonging to a former banker, Mr. Luke Ejiofor were all destroyed by Obi Okonjo’s agents at Aniagbala-Ubulu-Uku Same thing happened to farm lands of Ubulu-Okiti community where buldozers were used to destroy farm lands and crops.