An Edo agrarian community has dragged the Federal Government, FG, to the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, Court over forceful and violent land grabbing orchestrated by the Edo State Government under the watch of Governor Godwin Obaseki.
The people of Oke-Oroma Community filed a suit restraining the Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki from tampering with the community land, deity and agricultural assets which the court gave an injunction in favour of the plaintiff, the State Government defiled the restraining order went ahead to forcefully claim the land without negotiations nor compensations.
While the court order was still active, restraining the Edo State Government from tampering with the community land, Governor Obaseki outsmarted the people by declaring a 24 hour curfew on the said areas, just to achieve his desire to grab the land.
One of the primary objectives of the government is to protect lives and properties which Gov Obaseki has failed to deliver in this regard. The people of Oke-Oroma have established a suit against the Federal Government of Nigeria and the applicants sort the order of the indeterminate acquisition of the 714.750 hectares of land and destruction of houses, economic trees, ancestral deities and farm produces which constitutes a violation of the right to own properties, right to quality life, right to adequate compensation and right to self determination under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
Edo State Government under the administration of Governor Obaseki, has desecrated the Oke-Oroma village deity. That is the Ogidigan deity, Osun-Ake Shrine and the founding fathers cemetery. With such acts perpetrated by Governor Obaseki, no fewer than 400 families are rendered homeless in their home of origin which the government ordinarily would have protected.
Developing a new town in Edo State is not a bad idea, but not at the expense and detriment of the poor and local owners of such sites.
Community drags FG, Obaseki to ECOWAS court for forceful and violent land acquisition
