President Ahmed Tinubu has been petitioned by Agidiehe Community/Quarters in Ogwashi-Uku, Aniocha south local government area of Delta state over alleged use of the Inspector General of Police (IG), Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun and operatives of the Nigerian Police Force by the traditional ruler of Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom, Obi Ifechukwude Okonjo II, in speculation, grabbing and selling the lands in Ogwashi-Uku.
The quarter specifically called on President Tinubu to prevail on the IGP and his men from selling Agidiehe community’s farmlands located at Edo-Ogwashi.
The community/quarters, through their lawyer, F.N. Monyei Esq., on December 5, 2024, in Asaba, the State Capital, accused the Inspector General of Police and his men of being used by the monarch of aiding and abetting the sales of land in Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom.
They disclosed that Agidiehe Community/Quarters is one of the nine Quarters that constitutes Ogwashi-Uku, stressing that other Quarters that make up Ogwashi-Uku are: Agidiehe, Umudei, Azungwu, Ogbe-ofu, Umu-okwe, Ogbe-Ishago and Ikelike/Ogbe-Ogwudei.
The petitioners said: “Agidiehe Community is an agrarian community and its members farm extensively at Agidiehe farmland at Edo.
“Agidiehe Community for several centuries was in undisturbed possession and ownership of their farmland at Edo Ogwashi, exercising various acts of ownership like farming, hunting and reaping of both food crops and economic trees on their farmland at Edo Ogwashi.
“Ogwashi-Uku is a kingdom and same is ruled by a king known as the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku, who is the overall administrative head of Ogwashi-Uku.
“The Obi of Ogwashi-Uku rules Ogwashi-Uku town in conjunction with the Obi-in-council which council consists of the Obi, the Idimes the High Chiefs and the Iyases, Idimes or the High Chiefs are the administrative heads of the various communities or villages in Ogwashi-Uku i.e the 9 villages in Ogwashi-Uku.
“Idimes’ on the other hand, are traditional administrative heads of the individual communities or villages in Ogwashi-Uku.
“Agidiehe community is governed by a High Chief an Idime known as the ONIHE of OGWASHI-UKU. The Onihe is the highest in rank amongst his peers, the Idimes, in Ogwashi-Uku, in terms of traditional structure, he is the next in rank to the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku. The Onihe is also the administrative head of Agidiehe community in Ogwashi-Uku.
“He manages the said community’s natural resources such as land and receives rents, fees or levies from tenant farmers on Agidiehe farm lands or any property belonging to Agidiehe community that is in occupation by a tenant etc.
“The Onihe of Ogwashi-Uku is the king maker and he is solely responsible for the chalking and installation of a new Obi in a well laid out ceremony wherein he will preside. An Onihe of Ogwashi-Uku must be an indigene of Agidiehe community/village of Ogwashi-Uku.
“The present Onihe of Ogwashi-Uku is High Chief Ezekiel Nwakaego Iloba a retired police officer.
“The Agidiehe community owns its own farm land in Edo Ogwashi and inherited same from Adaigbo their progenitor beyond human memory.
“The Obi of Ogwashi-Uku is loosely referred to as a trustee of the entire Ogwashi-Uku land whilst radical title and ownership of land inheres on the federating Nine (9) communities that makes up Ogwashi-Uku kingdom.
“Each community in Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom knows their land and it’s precise boundary with their boundary neighbours a fact that is known and has been acknowledges impliedly by Obi Ifechukwude Aninshi Okonjo II in a boundary declaration agreement between Agidiehe community Ogwashi-Uku on one hand, and Ogbe-Onicha community, Ogwashi-Uku on another hand.
“Contrary to the land tenure system in Ogwashi-Uku to wit: That the various Quarters are radical owners of their various lands, and despite the ongoing commission of enquiry into the lingering kingship/land ownership disputes within Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom, the present obi of Ogwashi-Uku Obi Ifechukwude Okonjo II has not held his peace he ferociously now claims exclusive ownership of the entire Ogwashi-Uku land including Agidiehe Community’s Land at Edo, a situation that has almost brought Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom into a state of war.
“The Obi of Ogwashi-Uku now directly speculates on Agidiehe farmland at Edo-Ogwashi with the aid of policemen by bringing in bulldozers with which he has destroyed farmlands and properties of members of Agidiehe Community.
“The Obi of Ogwashi-Uku Obi Ifechukwude Okonjo II and his agent Hajia Halima, stationed truck loads of policemen on Agidiehe farmland at Edo-Ogwashi.
“The said policemen who are armed to the teeth have the instructions of the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku to shoot at sight any member of Agidiehe Community who dares to stop the ongoing wanton destruction of their farmlands and properties at Edo-Ogwashi.
“The value of the crops and properties of members of Agidiehe Community destroyed by the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku Obi Ifechukwude Okonjo II and his agents i.e. HAJIA HALIMA with the aid of the police is over N500 million”.
They prayed that the president, “prevail on the Inspector General of Police to investigate and mete out the appropriate punishment on the police authorities under his supervision that availed the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku Obi Ifechukwude Okonjo II loads of policemen with which he speculates on Agidiehe farmlands at Edo- Ogwashi and intimidate his subjects.
“That you also prevail on the Inspector General of Police to remove the truck load of policemen presently stationed on Agidiehe farmlands at Edo-Ogwashi.
“To prevail on the Inspector General Of Police to do the needful in the light of the above stated facts and more so to compensate members of Agidiehe Community whose Farmlands and Properties were destroyed by the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku Obi Ifechukwude Okonjo II with the aid of the Nigeria Police Force”.
