By Owen Akenzua, Asaba
Suspected land speculators in Okpanam Town of Delta state on Sunday allegedly attacked house owners for refusing to pay illegal fees.
In a statement signed by the Chairman, Association of House Owners and its Secretary, Okonkwo Ezechie and Charles Umejei, respective alleged that the speculators had been harrassing and intimidating them over their members’ refusal to make payments of certain fees not regulated by government.
“We have been under threats to make payment for illegal fee and quit notices were issued to us. When we refused, ten of them came into the estate this morning (Sunday).
“They started attacking us with dangerous weapons asking us to give them money or quit the land,” the statement said.
“As genuine owners of the landed properties and having regularized the documents with the state government, including making payments for prescribed regularization fees, it would amount to extortion and illegality carried out by the suspected hoodlums.
“In 2016, the present administration of governor Okowa through the Ministry of Labour, Survey and Urban Development, engaged the landlords and residents of the estate. This matter lingered on but was enventually resolved and the landlords were directed to pay regularization fees to the state government and retain their properties and we complied,” it added.
The house owners appealed to the state government to come to their aid even as the matter was reported to the police at the state CID for investigation.
It also urged government to warn some persons from Ogbe Owelle community, who forcefully demand and collect regularization fees from developers, alleging that some groups from the community have sold several undeveloped plots of land in the area.
Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Onovuwakpoyeya Onome confirmed the incident and said investigation was ongoing with a view to ensuring the arrest of the suspected attackers
