By Christopher Oji
The Udeze family of Ogbe Obi Quarters, Onicha- Ugbo, Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State, has accused Obi of Igbodo, in Ika North LGA, and his community of assault and threat to their lives over their father’s land.
Udeze family, comprising Onoha Udeze, Kenneth Udeze, and Mr Chidubem Udeze, alleged that the Igbodo community, on the order of the traditional ruler of the town and his Warlord (Odogwu), Mr. Ifeoha Azikiwe, forcefully took over the large hectare of land left behind for them by their late father, and allegedly abducted one of their brother’s who they inflicted with machete cuts before handing him to the police.
But, in a swift reaction, the traditional ruler of Igbodo, Barrister Ikechukwu Nkeobikwu, Osedume 1, and his Odogwu, debunked the allegation of threat to life to Udeze family, saying that the family was encroaching on Igbodo land and that the king only ordered that one of the Udezes, who usually encroach on Igbodo land, should be brought to the palace, from where he was taken to the police for the rule of law to prevail.
In a petition to the Inspector General of Police, Mr Usman Alkali Baba, signed by their lawyer, Peter Mrakpor SAN & Partners, the Udezes, also from Onicha-Ugbo royal family, called on the IGP to urgently intervene in the matter, to avoid loss of lives and property.
The Udezes said: “Our late father owned a vast expanse of land known as Chief V.U. Aniemeke Farms, located at Old Lagos-Asaba Road, Opposite St. Pius Grammar School, Onicha-Ugbo, which we inherited after his demise. He planted cocoa, palm, ogbono, orange, mango, and pineapples. He also had a big large game reserve with wildlife animals on the vast expanse of land.
Their lawyer added: “Some years back, our client, while still tender, the people of Idumu-Oze Quarters, Igbodo, forcefully entered into the land, destroyed about 3,0000 standing and producing cocoa trees, over 2,5000 palm trees, 2,2000 ogbono trees, 4,5000 producing trees and over 11,000 mango trees. Our clients’ late father instituted a matter before the High Court and judgment was given in favour of our clients’ late father in suit no AG/16/74 Godwin lyeke & Anor V. Udeze Aniemeke on the 24th day of May 1977, by Justice F.O.N Atake (as he then was).
The petitioners said Mr. Orikeze was compelled by the Obi of Igbodo to sign a written document denying the Udeze family right to the above mentioned land (subject matter of this petition), which Mr Orikeze refused to oblige the Obi’s demand, insisting that the land belongs to the Udeze family. Orikeze was beaten and warned that he and his brothers must not enter the land.
Consequent on the above, “Our client and his brothers now live in fear that their lives are in danger and they can’t gain access into their late father’s land.”
The Udezes said they have decided to cry to the IGP to intervene as the Obi of Igbodo and his people have refused to honour the invitation by Delta State Commissioner of Police to hear from them.
However, the traditional ruler said: “My community doesn’t have issues with Onicha -Ugbo people, but only with the Udeze family. The land belongs to us. Maybe their father did not tell them the truth or he told them, but they refused to understand and wanted to claim what does not belong to them.
“We have a land dispute with the Onicha-Ugbo people, but the Delta State Government waded in and told us to maintain peace till they finish settling the external boundary dispute, as they would soon come to solve the internal boundary dispute. The Onicha -Ugbo people and Igbodo people are maintaining the peace, why should one individual family still come to encroach into our land?”