By Imelda Osayande
The Edo State Private Properties Protection Committee (EPPPC) on Tuesday in Benin directed one Elder Ikpomwosa Akewe, 94, to appear before it on Sept. 21over alleged land-grabbing.
The committee, headed by Justice Alero Edodo-Eruaga (Rtd), is charged with supporting government’s efforts by checking activities of land grabbers and property speculators in communities across Edo.
Akewe was accused of conning with some youths, selling Evboro community land in Ovia North-East of the state to the Nigeria Medical Association Cooperative, Edo branch.
Festus Osagiede, the head of five neighbouring communities – Evboro, Iguogie, Iguotor, Iguedobor and Okhonmwenne in Ovia North-East of Edo, had petitioned the committee to stop the NMA from acquiring the land and Akewe for further sales of Avboro land.
According to him, the respondent, Akewe is the third in command who was suspended because of alleged issues committed by him in the community.
Osagiede noted that the Evboro community had 10 elders presiding over the activities in the community, yet the respondent single handedly sold the land to NMA cooperative.
Consequently, the Chairman of the committee, Justice Alero Edodo-Eruaga, directed the police to do the needful to ensure the respondent appeared before the committee in the next adjourned date on Sept. 21.
Earlier, the police prosecution, SP Charles Akhueche, told the committee that the respondent, Akewe was absent because of a court case involving him at a High Court in Okada.
In a related development, the police attached to the committee, have arrested Grace Omorodion, a respondent and vendor to the petitioner, Theresa Oboh
It was alleged that she refused to appear below the committee hence her arrest.
She, however, admitted she sold the disputed land to the petitioner, but that it was her elder brother’s son, deceased over three months now, that had illegally encroached and sold the land. (NAN)
