The Josephus Family of Agudama-Epie has given authorities of  the  Naval Central Command Headquarters, Yenagoa 14 days to quit Camp Porbeni, situated  along Mbama/Yenagoa Road, which they claimed belongs to them or in alternative enter direct negotiation with the family.

Camp Porbeni serves as temporary residential and operational headquarters of the newly created Central Naval Command.

The large expanse of land was developed by Konaliz Investments Nigeria Limited, a firm of land developers owned by Retired Rear Admiral festus Probeni,who at a time had servede as Minister for transport.

The landowners are threatening to seek legal means to enforce their ownership right over the choice parcel of land, since according to them, Konaliz Investments (Nigeria) Limited has failed to meet with them to settle the matter.

But former Rear Admiral Festus Porbeni (rtd.),when contacted in a telephone interview, asserted his ownership of the land, saying he has a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O), a deed of conveyance duly signed by the landowners and a survey map of the parcel of land.

Porbeni declared that “if they go to court, it will be best for me asking “why it is only now that the Josephus family is seeking such action when I entered into the land since 1995”.

The retired Rear Admiral disclosed that he had once arrested  Hon. Abila Josephus who was selling his land behind Camp Porbeni and each time, he behaved as if he was mad,  was promptly released.

According to him, Abila was afraid of losing all the land he had illegally sold to people hence he was threatening such action, stressing that as an elder statesman, he will continue to pursue the path of peace.

Probeni also said in view of the development, he will formally inform the Inspector General of Police, the Governor of Bayelsa State, Secretary to the State Government and the Central Naval Command over the activities of Abila.

Already, the Josephus family had written to Konaliz Investment (Nigeria) Limited alleging forceful occupation of the site now called Camp Porbeni, arrest and intimidation by both the police and JTF and staff of the company.

The letter dated 31st May, 2010 written by a legal counsel, Chief F. D. Lott & Co and signed by one Barrister Emmanuel E. Ilenreh said men of the JTF ordered one of their client’s, Abila Smith Josephus  to sign an undertaking that he was living on a part of the land.

The family also accused Konaliz and Admiralty Fleet, another company owned by Porbeni, of constructing some buildings on the disputed land, “thus manifestly continuing the act of wrongful occupation and/or continuing trespass”.

In the latest development, the Josephus family has written a reminder and issued a 14-day notice to commence legal proceedings to enforce their right of ownership over the land describing Porbeni’s action as wrongful and forceful eviction of their family members from the land.

The letter signed by another counsel, Chief Walter Akeni said unless the company entered into negotiation with them over the land, they would go to court “to assert our legal right of our entitlement to our land wherein Camp Porbeni is situate and the adjoining lands.”