Trouble is brewing in Ovwian Community in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State over the alleged illegal sale of the waterfront belonging to Ekroro family to an influential business tycoon in the State.
In a Save Our Soul (SOS) message to the Governor of Delta State, Right Honourable Sheriff Oborevwori, members of the family lamented that gun-wielding men always patrol the land denying them access to the land.
Addressing newsmen, members of the Ekroro family of Ovwian Community said that the hectares of the waterfront from the Ovwian market to the Udu bridge with the boundary with Owhase Community belongs to them.
They noted that their fore fathers sold some parcels of the waterfront to the late Chief Joseph Jitokun of Ukpiovwin Community.
According to the Secretary of the Ekroro family, Comrade Ejiro Ovedje, and Chief Felix Sikprako, the family is aware that Chief Jitokun later sold the area they earlier bought to De Wayles Nigeria Limited.
Comrade Ovedje and Chief Sikprako said that the members of the Ekroro family were surprised that the said influential Ijaw business tycoon and owners of De Wayles Nigeria Limited were encroaching on the parcels and other parts of the waterfront belonging to the family.
The Chairman of Ekroro family, Deacon Paul Debra said that the Ekroro family and indeed Ovwian people were peace loving, stressing that the members do not want to have a showdown with the illegal buyer hence the SOS to the state government to intervene and prevent a bloodbath.
Deacon Debra appealed to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and Ijaw Indigenes living in Ovwian Community and across the State to prevail on their influential business tycoon to stop any activity on the waterfront as it has a case pending at the Court of Appeal, Asaba bordering on the ownership of the entire waterfront.
Corroborating the appeal, the Chairman of Ovwian Elder Council, Comrade William Akpotiwhe advised the supposed buyer to collect his money from the sellers alleging those sellers are fraudsters.
The Ovwian community maintained that the waterfront is at dispute at the Appeal Court in Asaba which is yet to give judgment, adding that any buyer who is doing business in the area does so at his own risk.
The Ekroro family disclosed further that they have discovered that some persons in the community who are not members of Ekroro family were said to have sold some parts of the disputed property to De Weyles Nigeria Limited. They added that such sales were null and void as those touted to have sold have no such mandate of the family.
‘’Government should step in before this matter get out of hands as attempt at intimidating our people from their property with police cannot be sustained for too long. A stitch in time saves nine’’, they added.
Credit: Independent Newspaper except headline
