Aladja/Ogbe-Ijaw boundary dispute: call demarcation team to order, Aladja Community urges Oborevwori

Aladja Community in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State, over the weekend, urged Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to call the demarcation team handing the ongoing demarcation exercise between them(Aladja and Ogbe-Ijoh Communities)  to order.

In a letter signed by Comrade Okakotu Shell GodFirst, President Aladja Community Council, Mr. Reuben Doro, Chairman, Aladja Welfare Movement, Apst. Lucky Figbele and Oghuvwie-Ode both of Aladja Community  was sent to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.

According to Aladja  Community,  Governor Oborevwori's mandate in the ongoing demarcation exercise between them(Aladja and Ogbe-Ijoh  Communities) has been flouted by the State Government's Surveyor.

Aladja Community said the demarcation exercise which is supposed to commence from the Major. Gen. R.M. Dumudje's Canal was started afresh stressing that:"This  will not achieve the desired purpose."

While Aladja reiterats its honest desire for the amicable settlement of the land dispute between the two communities,it (Aladja Community) said: "We are not willing to do that on the altar of justice."

Aladja Community expressed shock over  the representatives of Ogbe-Ijoh Community that  were requested by the surveyor at the start of the exercise to mark the area of the land in dispute from Aladja/Ogbe-Ijoh Road. 

According to Aladja Community: "They did this by traversing farms, plantations belonging to our people including the entire length of the Major-General R.M. Dumuje's Canal, Aladja Grammar School, Aladja Divisional Police Headquarters by marking same as disputed land.

"This wild and irresponsible claim of land will in no way be helpful to the Government in resolving the land dispute, rather it will aggravate the already tensed situation orchestrated by the fact  that we  have already conceded so much in our bid to make peace."

Aladja Community also said: "In the same vein, representatives from Aladja Community were requested to mark out area in dispute. Thus, the entire land between the two communities was marked out as the disputed area with over ninety percent(90%) on the Aladja's side. This is unacceptable to us because  our heritage is being threatened. 

"We are aware of the ploy of Ogbe-Ijoh Community to pressurise the team to implement the minority report signed by the two representatives of Ogbe-Ijoh Community in the Prof. A. Ekoko's panel. This ploy, we have also  brought to the notice of the government. It seems, the interest of the minority is holding sway, It concluded.