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From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
The feud between the Dredgers and Excavators Association in Imo State and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has taken another dimension as the miners have threatened to drag water authority to court over alleged extortion, harassment and intimidation of its members.
The miners have consistently alleged extortion, harassment and intimidation of its members by the NIWA officials in the State while dredging sands at the Otamiri River.
Addressing journalists in Owerri, head of Green and Green chambers,Oluchukwu Nnabugwu solicitors to the Dredgers warned that if the officials of NIWA in the State does not cease to obstruct their clients from lawfully doing their job, will face a legal action after the expiration of their notice in 30 days .
Nnabugwu claimed that the Dredgers have been subjected to all manner of human rights abused on the course of doing their job by NIWA including collecting tax from them despite the association being fully licensed by the Mining Cadastre office (MCO) under the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act 2007 and fulfilled all statutory financial obligations required by the law.
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He said “Officers of NIWA have on multiple occasions, harassed,intimidated extorted and obstructed members of the Imo Dredgers and Excavators Association while they’re carrying out lawful sand dredging and excavation operations on the Otamiri River.
“NIWA officers have destroyed working equipment and operational materials, thereby inflicting significant economic losses on our clients.
“If NIWA does not immediately cease these unlawful acts ,we have our clients instructions to take every legal step to seek available remedies and enforce their rights. If we do not receive a formal written response from NIWA office within 30 days of your receipt of this ,we shall proceed to file the appropriate legal action without further correspondence.” Nnabugwu warned.
However reacting to the claims and threat by the dredgers, the State Director of NIWA, Vincent Odia described the allegations as false insisting that the Dredgers does not have any permit to operate on their waterways.
“All these allegations are false anyway. This people are contravention of NIWA act. None of these dredgers have any permit to operate on our waterways. But am still waiting to get clearance from our headquarters. We have a lot to say. We know the masterminds of the allegations and by the grace of God the authority will handle them accordingly”. Odia said.
