By Godspower Eguasa and Nosakhare Agbonigia
Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has read the riot act to land grabbers in the State warning that a special force is being set up to rein in persons illegally taking over people’s lands across the State.
Obaseki read the riot act during a sensitization session with leaders and members of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Government House, Benin City, the State capital, on Tuesday, May 24, 2022.
Obaseki said: “On land grabbing, I have gone to the Inspector General of Police (IG), he has given me five Armored Personnel Carriers.
“We are building trucks with automatic guns on top of them. If you go to Aideyan Street, we have acquired the building, we have decorated it, it’s a barrack for a special force that will host about a hundred men. So I have declared a war.
“The committee on protection of private property has come up and we have taken the list of all the petitions, there are about 420 of them. We are reviewing each petition; we will address all and make sure we end land grabbing in the State.”
He urged the Christian community to support his administration’s resolve to bequeath a well-planned State to residents.
“We now appeal to all of you, help us, give us more information so that we can calm this place, we cannot continue like this where people just wake up in the morning, they go into the community and take other people’s farm lands and bulldoze it, allocate it, sell it and collect the money.
“The blocked channels particularly towards Upper Sokponba Road and Sapele Road, you can see the devastation that is going on there.”
The Governor maintained that “In terms of drainage, there’s been a lot of work done” adding “If you notice in some areas now, you will see large ponds – in Gapiona, in Erediauwa.
“With the activities of real estate developers, part of what we are doing now is to first say we are coming up with a master plan. Every area, every square inch of Edo must be planned.”
He described the leaders as partners in the development of the State and said the essence of the meeting was to have a dialogue with them.
“We decided to call you so that we can have a dialogue, so it’s not that we are here to take action that will be detrimental to your interest, we are partners.
“We have started the process of sensitization so that we all know what Government is about and what I have heard you say is that you are committed to partnering with the Government on this process of re-planning the State.
“In so doing, the first thing is, those of you who are already operating from certain premises, we need to sit with you and look at each case in each community, what do we do about buildings of places of worship that are blocking drainage areas, we will have sessions with the community before we take any action.”
Speaking on the role of the church in the development of the State, Commissioner for Physical Planning, Urban and Regional Development, Isoken Omo, said: “CAN is important to the project as the state knows you are a key influencer within the state and beyond. We are here to intimate you on what is going on and get your input because the impact of the master plan will benefit all.”
In her contribution, the Chairman of PFN in Edo State, Evang. Mrs. Margaret Agbonifo, expressed delight at the sensitization session and said that members of the PFN would work with the State government to ensure that church buildings get necessary approvals before construction commences.
“We all have agreed to key into the plan by ensuring we all register our churches. We are ready to submit our building plans but appeal to the governor to approve such plans,” Mrs. Agbonifo said.
