In spite of the fact that 10 of them apparently passed away from heart attacks as a result of the development, over 2,000 landowners have challenged the purchase and destruction of their N30 billion-worth property.
The land behind Asaba International Airport was allegedly sold by Umuodafe Quarters in the state’s Ibusa, Oshimili North Local Government Area, but was afterwards taken by force by the Delta State Government.
The demonstrators held signs that read, among other things, “Okowa leave our land alone,” “Some of us accepted a loan to purchase this land,” and “Okowa enough of injustice.”
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, one of the displaced Boko Haram victims, Mr. Raymond Ifeanyi, lamented the illegal acquisition of their land allegedly by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.
He said, “We bought this land since 2018, surprisedly they brought bulldozer and started destroying all our property, that the Governor Okowa has acquired the land.
“Boko Haram destroyed my place in the North, so the little I have, I came here to Asaba, bought land and starting building so that my family can have a roof over their head.
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“They brought bulldozer and demolished all our property worth over 30 billion. We followed all necessary procedure in acquiring the land from the community and the papers are there.”
Another landowner, Engr. Akeen Lasisi, and a widow Mrs. Juliana Ogbuagwu, lamented that they had invested over N200million in the land, adding that they acquired the land legitimately from the community.
“We enquired about the land before we acquired it. It was a free land, we went to Ministry of Lands and Survey and it was confirmed free by the government before we acquired it from the community.”
They disclosed that over 10 members have died of heart attack in the course of fighting over the land.
The Commissioner for Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, had said that the said land was acquired for the overriding public interest.
“In that particular land, government had long before now acquired the entire expanse of land in that area for overriding public interest,” he said.
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