Security operatives arrest five land owners in Benin for protesting against demolition of houses by Edo Govt.

Traditionalists at the protest by Oke-Oroma community against the demolition of their properties by Edo state government

By Editor

Nov 17, 2022

A combined team of security operatives have arrested five land owners from Oke-Oroma community, who on Thursday, joined, a protest against the recent demolition of their properties by the Edo State Government.

The arrested persons were nabbed at the premises of the National Museum, in Ring road, Benin City.

One of the protesters, who spoke to newsmen, said the combined team made up of operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS) and the Nigeria Police.

The operatives, it was gathered stormed the venue with three hilux vehicles full of personnel, two Prado Jeeps, Armoured Tank and Machine guns after the protest to carry out the arrest.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the protesters were in the museums premises to round off the protest when the security agencies stormed on them.

He said the persons, who included one Comrade Ojo Collins and four others; their whereabouts is yet  unknown.

Dailymonitorngr reports that the  people of Oke-Oroma community as well as land developers, had earlier in the morning took to the streets to protest against the demolitions of their properties and alleged forcefully annexation of the land by the state government.

Besides, the indigenes and the victims of the demolition, traditionalists also took part in the peaceful protest in the midst of security agencies watch.

The traditionalists cladded in red attires, carried clay pot filled with substances and a chicken to add an impetus to the seriousness of the protest; masquerades were also not left out in the protest.

Dailymonitorngr also reports that the traditionalists and the masquerades were said to be victims of the demolition, too.

It was gathered that the shrines of the traditionalists located in the community was taken over by the government.

Pic: Land owners and residents of Oke-Oroma community on Thursday against demolition of their properties by Edo state government.

The protest climaxed at the ministry of Housing, Urban and Regional Planning, and Development as well as the ministry of Justices where the traditionalists with barehand slaughtered live chicken, danced round the clay pot and recited some incantations.

The traditionalists called on the ancestors to come to their aid and fight those allegedly taking over their ancestral lands from them.

The protest, however, resulted to gridlock around the ever busy Ovorawmen square, popularly knowns as Ring road, Airport road, Sapele road as well as the adjoining streets.

Speaking at the protest, Madam Inibokun Monday, Mr Terry Ilevbare, Monday Edo Omorogiuwa and Comrade Emmanuel Aigbogun, Public Relations Officer, Talakawa Parliament accused the Edo State government of contempt of court.

They alleged that an Edo High Court, sitting in Benin City and presided over by Vestee Eboreime had on August 4, 2022 restrained the state government and its agents from taking possession of their disputed land pending the determination of the substantive suit.

While lamenting that state government who is supposed to obey the rule of law now acting contrary noted that the government cannot be a judge in their own case.

The protesters who added that the community had been existing for the past 2000 years, urged the state government to produce the documents for acquisition of the 1229 hectares of their land.

The protesters accused the state commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of not properly advising the state government on the implications of court of contempt.

They, however, vowed not to end the protest against the demolition and the alleged forcefully annexation of their land until justice is done.

Recall that the State Government had November 2, 2022 revealed  that the alleged land grabbers collected over N1.5billion from their preys in the last two years.

The Edo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon Chris Nehikhare ,who  gave the revelation at a press conference told newsmen that the information was obtained from 499 people who are victims of land grabbers that came for data capturing and enumeration.

Nehikhare said the money was collected from the victims by the land grabbers between 2020 and 2022 respectively

He, however, disclosed that the victims of the land grabbing will be restituted from whatever it was able to get from the land grabbers especially from the N1.5billion.

The commissioner added that the names of those identified will soon be announced, charged to court and prosecuted.