Over 2,000 landowners in Delta State have protested the acquisition and demolition of their property worth over N30 billion even as 10 of them have reportedly died from a heart attack following the development.
The land situated at the back of Asaba International Airport, was said to have been sold by Umuodafe Quarters, in Ibusa, Oshimili North Local Government Area of the state but forcefully acquired by the Delta State Government.
The protesters carried placards with different inscriptions such as “Okowa leave our land alone,” “Some of us took loan to purchase this land,” “Okowa enough of injustice” among others.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, one of the displaced Boko Haram victims, Mr. Raymond Ifeanyi, lamented the illegal acquisition of their land allegedly by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.
He said, “We bought this land since 2018, surprisedly they brought bulldozer and started destroying all our property, that Governor Okowa has acquired the land.
“Boko Haram destroyed my place in the North, so the little I have, I came here to Asaba, bought land, and starting building so that my family can have a roof over their head.
“They brought bulldozer and demolished all our property worth over 30 billion. We followed all necessary procedure in acquiring the land from the community and the papers are there.”
Another landowner, Engr. Akeen Lasisi, and a widow Mrs. Juliana Ogbuagwu, lamented that they had invested over N200million in the land, adding that they acquired the land legitimately from the community.
“We enquired about the land before we acquired it. It was a free land, we went to Ministry of Lands and Survey and it was confirmed free by the government before we acquired it from the community.”
They disclosed that over 10 members have died of heart attack in the course of fighting over the land.
The Commissioner for Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, had said that the said land was acquired for the overriding public interest.
“In that particular land, government had long before now acquired the entire expanse of land in that area for overriding public interest,” he said.
Akwa Ibom, Delta Top List As Presidency Releases Details Of Refunds To Oil-Producing States
Amidst growing discontent in Niger Delta states that some government officials had misused the oil derivation refunds in the region, the Presidency released more details of oil derivation refunds made to the states on Friday, December 2, 2022.
The details provided by the Presidency show that Akwa Ibom and Delta States received the largest refunds from the federal government.
Garba Shehu, the presidential spokesperson, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday, December 2, 2022, and made available The Trent.
Shehu revealed that the nine oil-producing states got a total of N625.43 billion 13 per cent oil derivation, subsidy and SURE-P refunds from the Federation Account between 2021 and 2022.
He said the date of the refund was from 1999 to 2021.
Recall that Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State had showered praise on President Muhammadu Buhari for releasing the 13 per cent oil derivation to oil-producing states.
Wike further said he spent the funds on multi-billion projects in his state, challenging his colleagues to explain how they used theirs.
Following the revelations by Wike, many Nigerians raised questions about how governors from the oil-producing states utilised the funds in their respective states.
Part of the statement read: “According to the figures, under the 13 per cent derivation fund on withdrawal from ECA without deducting derivation from 2004 to 2019, Abia State received N4.8 billion with an outstanding sum of N2.8 billion, Akwa-Ibom received N128 billion with an outstanding sum of N77 billion, Bayelsa with N92.2bn, leaving an outstanding of N55 billion.
“Cross River got a refund N1.3 billion with a balance N792 million, Delta State received N110 billion, leaving a balance of N66.2 billion, Edo State received N11.3billion, with a balance of N6.8billion, Imo State, N5.5 billion, with an outstanding sum of N3.3 billion, Ondo State, N19.4 billion with an outstanding sum of N11.7bn while Rivers State was paid 103.6 billion, with an outstanding balance of N62.3 billion.”
The statement indicated that States were further paid in eight instalments between the months of October and January 2022.
“Under this category, Abia State received N1.1 billion, Akwa-Ibom, N15 billion, Bayelsa, N11.6 billion, Cross River, N432 million, Delta State, N14.8 billion, Edo State, N2.2 billion, Imo State, N2.9, billion, Ondo State, N3.7 billion, and Rivers State, N12.8 billion,” it said.
