The Palace of the Oba of Benin has given reasons why the activities of obnoxious land grabbers have refused to abate despite the determined action of the Oba of Benin Omo N’Oba Ewuare 11 and the abolition of Community Development Association (CDA) by Governor Godwin Obaseki.
Speaking with journalists Wednesday in Benin, the Aiwerioghene of Benin, Chief Henry Bazuaye said the practice continue to persist because of the belief by the land grabbers and illegal buyers that once a structure is hurriedly erected on the illegally acquired property, the Palace of the Oba of Benin forbids such property to be demolished.
Chief Bazuaye who denounced the desperate actions of land grabbers in Benin Kingdom said that their actions bore all the hallmarks of domestic terrorism and kidnapping.
The high chief slammed some unscrupulous land grabbers who he accused of recently taking their illegality to unprecedented height by selling a portion of land belonging to Oba Ewuare 11 at Okhiri village, Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of the state.
Chief Bazuaye pointed accusing fingers at the Enogie of neighbouring Ulegun and some youths for engaging in the illegal sale of land belonging to the revered traditional ruler which they forcefully took over from Okhiri people.
He wailed: “The Palace is inundated with cases of land grabbing by victims who come to the Palace to seek redress. In many cases, people’s farmlands are sold off to to willing accomplices.”
He condemned the brazen action of some youths at Ogheghe community who destroyed the perimeter fence of church land belonging to Christ Embassy and proceeded to sell off plots of the land.
He called on the state government to do more in arresting what he insisted is the unsavoury behaviour of grabbing other people’s land and leaving the victims with no form of compensation or respite.
Chief Bazuaye continued: “The Palace condemns the practice of grabbing other people’s land in Benin as this is against the our culture. The Palace regards land grabbing at the rate which it is going to domestic terrorism and kidnapping.
“The only difference is they are kidnapping and terrorizing the lawful owners which can lead to communal crisis and breach of the peace. The land grabbers sell other people’s land knowing full well their action is illegal. Worst still, the purchasers are also often aware they are purchasing other people’s land illegally.”
According to him the action is a reconstructed form of the outlaw Community Development Association (CDA) which was notorious for land sale, adding that such will not be tolerated.
