News
Chinese Have Illegally Annexed 485 Hectares Of Our Land -Ogun Communities
Igbesa and Ejila communities in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Areas of Ogun have called on President MohammaduBuhari and Governor IbikunleAmosun to save them from the Chinese encroaching on their lands.
The community leaders and land owners told newsmen during a visit to the communities that over 485 hectares of farmland had so far been destroyed by the Chinese.
The leaders said that all efforts to caution the Chinese investors not to exceed the area marked for the Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone had failed.
Chairman, Land Owners Committee of Igbesaland, Mr. Solomon Ajose, told newsmen that they had no issues with the Chinese investors until 2017 when they began to seek for more lands.
Ajose said that when the community leaders approached the Chinese on their actions, they threatened to deal with them, while referring to the 1977 acquisition.
“This issue started in 2017, when one of us, KabiruAjayi, together with Manager of Ogun-Guangdong, Daniel Sheu, came to say that government had acquired our lands and we told them that our lands were not acquired.
“They were making reference to 1977 Acquisition and we told them that the 1977 acquisition did not extend to Igbesa, it ended at OPIC in Agbara area.
“These people are still laying claim to that 1977 acquisition and Igbesa is not mentioned in the gazette. Truly, Ogun State Government came here through a former Deputy Governor, Badru, who negotiated with the community.
“What the community gave them was 250 hectares for the establishment of Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone and that record is currently in Bureau of Lands.”
Ajose added: “They went further to a community called Ejila comprising of 12 villages, in that area one of the sons called Commissioner Akinremi, negotiated with the community who gave them 400 hectares.
“Those were the parcels of land given to the Ogun State Government and that was what they now gave to Ogun-Guangdong for the establishment of their company.
“But in 2018, some persons from the community, in connivance with the management of the Ogun-Guangdong, came in with bulldozers and cleared all our cash crops, food crops and any other thing that brought us income.
“The communities of Ejila and Igbesa are majorly farmers, we live on farming, we train our children through school from proceeds of farming, and our parents were farmers.
“Our only hope of survival has been cut off, dashed; we are in a bad situation in Igbesa here. Money is not coming in and you are not ready to go into robbery and other crimes,’’ Ajose said.
He said that though the community was not against the government of Ogun acquiring lands for public ventures, it should be done the right way and that the communities should be shareholders in such business ventures.
According to him, the land was not meant for commercial purposes and that is the business agreement between Ogun and the China firm, then the community should gain from public establishment like hospitals and tertiary institutions.
He said: “The 1,210 hectares the Chinese are encroaching into was not given to them. So far, no deliberations, consultations or compensation has been paid to the real land owners and we are not requesting for their compensation.
“Let them remain in the one given to them. Whereas the land given to Ogun-Guangdong is still lying fallow at Ejila, they are here to take what we use for farming.
“Leave our 485 hectares of land for farming to us. We appeal to President Buhari and Ogun government to caution these Chinese people because they are using policemen to harass us,’’ he said.
Mr. Adebayo Akinola, a Food Technologist, who had 21 acres of land and 10 acres of cassava plantation already destroyed by the Chinese, said that it was worth over N10million.
The Renewed Hope Initiative in conjunction with the Rivers State Government has empowered 500 elderly citizens in Rivers State with financial support of N200,000 each.
The empowerment programme was part of activities to celebrate the third anniversary of the Renewed Hope Initiative Elderly Support Scheme RHIESS, a social investment policy initiated by the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
Speaking at the event which held at the Government House, Port Harcourt, recently, under the theme, ‘Finding Joy in Old Age,’ Senator Tinubu said the gesture which has become traditional since 2023 was a mark of gratitude in recognition of the invaluable contributions of the senior citizens to nation building.
The First Lady who was represented by the wife of the Rivers State Governor and State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Lady Valerie Fubara, said the scheme was to “support two hundred and fifty (250) vulnerable elderly citizens aged 65 and above in all the 36 states of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory, and veterans from the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA) totalling 9,500 selected beneficiaries across the nation.
She urged the beneficiaries to engage in activities that will make them find joy in old age.
“I encourage you to continue playing your part by staying healthy and active, nurture both your body and mind through regular exercise and meaningful engagement,” Senator Tinubu advised.
On her part, Lady Fubara said the State Government through the magnanimity of the governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has increased the beneficiaries of the programme from 250 to 500.
She restated the commitment of the State Government towards provision of social welfare and improving the standard of living of the elderly in the State.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), Dr Vetty Agala, said the State Government has through the Health4allrivers Initiative, introduced free medical care for senior citizens in the State, in line with the Renewed Hope Initiative.
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Rivers State Council, has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to expedite the prosecution of the Director of the now distressed MBA Forex Trading, Mr. Maxwell Odum, in the interest of justice.
The Rivers State NUJ made the appeal during a courtesy visit to the EFFC’s Ag. Zonal Director, ACE Hassan Saidu, in Port Harcourt, recently.
The council’s chairman, Comrade Paul Bazia, said the appeal became imperative after it considered the number of Nigerians and others involved in the financial misconduct.
According to him, it has caused hardship among many households in the country and should be given the attention it deserves.
He said that investors cannot come into a country or invest in an economy or nation ridden with fraud.
This, he said, has made it more imperative to arrest, prosecute and convict alleged fraudsters like the MBA Forex Director, who is alleged to have defrauded thousands of unsuspecting Nigerians, to serve as a deterrent to others.
The chairman also requested that while the trial lasts, part of the swindled funds should be given to the victims that suffered loss and trauma as a result of the fraud.
The NUJ reiterated its resolve to change the narrative of reportage from crisis to developmental communication.
According to him, the NUJ’s main focus is blue economy and tourism.
He expressed the readiness of the Council to partner the agency in the area of information dissemination.
“We believe you have a responsibility to fight financial crimes. We also know that you need the Press to publicize your activities and NUJ can provide that,” he said.
Responding, the Zonal EFFC’s boss commended the NUJ’s vision to change the narrative of reporting from crisis to developmental communication.
According to Saidu, the Western world have since imbibed such culture, hence the negative stories about them are carefully sifted to allow only positive ones to be released to the outside world.
As for the trapped funds to be released, the EFCC Zonal Director stated that only the court can authorize such action, stressing that the primary responsibility of the Commission is to arrest and prosecute.
He pledged to partner with the NUJ now that the leadership has visited the Commission.
The Head of the Legal & Prosecution Department, DCE Odiase Stephen, corroborated the Zonal Director’s position and stressed that it was only when the matter has been determined by the court that such funds can be released.
He further stated that once a matter is before a court of competent jurisdiction, it cannot be discussed outside.
By: King Onunwor
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