Aladja Community in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State on Monday denied allegations by Ogbe-Ijoh people that her indigenes destroyed buildings in their community.
In an interview with Our Correspondent, the President of Aladja Community Council, Comrade Shell Okakotu GodFirst, who was reacting to a report on social media by one Amb. Smart Okosun, described the report as “false”.
According to Comrade GodFirst, it is not true that indigenes of the Aladja Community destroyed Ogbe-Ijoh community.
He noted that there is a committee set up to do the demarcation between Aladja and Ogbe-Ijoh communities.
In his words, “That job was done by the Committee. It’s not Aladja indigenes perse. Aladja Community did not go there to do demarcation on their own. So, to me, it’s an irrelevant story. The story is a fictitious story”.
Comrade GodFirst pointed out that most of the buildings at the boundary belong to Aladja people stressing that, “some of the buildings caused the age-long dispute between the communities”.
Reacting to the seven-day ultimatum the Ogbe-Ijoh people issued the Delta State Government to rebuild the houses destroyed, Comrade GodFirst said if the O Delta State Government should be ready to withdraw the security Operatives from the two communities if Ogbe-Ijoh people dares attack them.
He said the Aladja community is entirely in support of the boundary demarcation by the Delta State Government and not because Aladja Community is afraid of anything but for the sake of peace pointing out that there’s so much insecurity in the Country that does not need more troubles to be added.
He insisted that for peace to reign, the Ogbe-Ijoh people should allow the Committee set up by the Delta State Government to do its demarcation job.
An indigene of Aladja community who does not want his name I print corroborated Comrade GodFirst saying the said Amb. Smart Okosun is misleading the public with the libellous report.
“I believe the people of Aladja will not take it likely with hi time around because if he alleged we destroyed any building in Ogbe-Ijoh, he should be able to point out the perpetrators, not just generalizing.”
He insisted that a committee was set up by the Delta State Government to demarcate the community boundary.
It would be recalled that angry youths under the auspices of Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom Interest & Defensive Forum, OIDF had accused a purported Aladja/Ogbe-Ijoh boundary committee led by the counterparts of Udu and Warri South West LGA chairmen, Chief Hon. Jite Brown and Hon.Taiye D. Tuoyo of unlawful destruction of houses in Ogbe-Ijoh community in the name of a boundary adjustment.
He added that it does not seek the consent of the Ogbe-Ijoh community to have commenced the destruction of buildings in the community.
The statement reads, “The grand commandant of Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom Interest & Defensive Forum (OIDF) Gen. Powode Edonghan Ikoro, Action Chairman, Francis Oromoni, Commander Endurance Amaya Ogbe and National president of OIDF Okosu Smart and others led Ogbe-Ijoh youths to verify purported boundary areas but to our surprise, three of Ogbe-Ijoh buildings were demolished without the consent of the owners and even the Ogbe-Ijoh people.
“We, therefore, call on the Delta State Governor, Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa, Udu LGA chairman Jite Brown and Warri South West LGA chairman, Taiye D.Tuoyo to think wisely and bury their evil decisions against the Ogbe-Ijoh people & rebuild the destroyed houses within seven days to avoid a showdown.”
The group also advised Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to call the purported boundary committee led by the counterparts chairmen of the two LGAs to order and possibly focused on LGA boundary adjustment between Udu and WSW LGAs and not communal issues.
According to the group, the two LGA chairmen should work in line with the government decision regarding the boundary adjustment of the affected communities and not follow their illegal arrangement which may incite more crisis in the area.
