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Members of Aladja community in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State have urged Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to call the team handling the ongoing demarcation exercise between Aladja and Ogbe-Ijoh to order.
They said the governor’s mandate in the exercise had been flouted by the state government’s surveyor.
The community made the call in a protest letter sent to the governor.
The letter was signed by Comrade Okakotu Shell GodFirst, President Aladja Community Council; Apst. Lucky Figbele, Oghuvwie-Ode of Aladja Community; and Mr Reuben Doro, Chairman, Aladja Welfare Movement.
The community expressed shock that the representatives of Ogbe-Ijoh were requested by the surveyor at the start of the exercise to mark the area of the land in dispute from Aladja/Ogbe-Ijoh road.
The letter added, “They did this by traversing farms, plantations belonging to its people including the entire length of the Major-General R.M. Dumuje’s Canal, Aladja Grammar School, Aladja Divisional Police Headquarters by marking same as disputed land.
“This wild and irresponsible claim of land will in no way be helpful to the Government in resolving the land dispute, rather it will aggravate the already tensed situation orchestrated by the fact we have already conceded so much in our bid to make peace.
“In the same vein, representatives from Aladja Community were requested to mark out area in dispute. Thus, the entire land between the two communities was marked out as the disputed area with over Ninety percent(90%) on the Aladja side. This is unacceptable to us as our heritage is being threatened.
“We are aware of the ploy of Ogbe-Ijoh Community to pressurise the team to implement the minority report signed by the two representatives of Ogbe-Ijoh Community in the Prof. A. Ekoko’s panel. This ploy, we have also brought to the notice of the government. It seems the interest of the minority is holding sway.”
