Family sends SOS to Edo Govt, Oba of Benin, IGP over Land Tussle

By Simeon Osajie

The family of Mr. Osasere Ekhator Ohonba of Ugbekun, Ihinmwinhin quarters, Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of Edo State, recently appealled to the Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, the Oba of Benin, Ewuare II and the Inspector General of Police to call one Mr. Odion Osayande Obasohan, Monday Osadolor and others to stay off their family's land.

Mr. Ekhator in a paper titled "A case of illegal constitution of the outlaw Community Development Association, falsification of land documents, forcible entry of land, wantons sales of Ekhator family land and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace against Mr. Odion Osayende Obasohan, Monday Osadolor, Benjamin Osaghae, Courage Obasohan, Lee Osazuwa, Johnbull Omoigui and others signed by Osamwonyi A. Ibude & Co. and made available to journalists during their protest to the State Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Edo State Council by Ekhator himself and sympathizers.

Mr. Ekhator said he is the rightful owner of the landed property measuring 1,000 feet by 1,000 feet lying and situated at Otofure/Ekhator Community, Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area, Edo State.

He said late 2019, he discovered that his late father George Ekhator Ohonba was the worshipper of Odede Shrine as the Chief Priest in Ekhator village and that he left a large expanse of land measuring 1,000 feet by 1,000 feet lying and situating at Otofure/Ekhator Community, Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area, Edo State.

He said the said land is covered by a perimeter survey plan showing Ekhator family's land in the village and the Oba's approval.

Mr. Ekhator alleged that one Odion Osayende Obasohan and his cohorts constituted themselves as community development association and allocated the said land to themselves and other innocent buyers.

He however called on the Edo State governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, the Oba of Benin, Ewuare II and the Inspector General of Police to call Mr. Odion Osayende Obasohan, Monday Osadolor, Benjamin Osaghae, Courage Obasohan, Lee Osazuwa, Johnbull Omoigui and others to order and stop encroaching on his father's land.

In his swift reaction, when contacted, Mr. Odion Osayende said the matter is already in court and that he has nothing to say on the matter at the moment.