THE Ohwodo family o f E w u – U r h o b o in Ughelli South Local Government Area has refuted the alleged violation of any court order and the demolition of a building in any disputed land.
Responding to the claims by E d j e k o t a Community of Ughelli North Local Government Area published in an Online Newspaper, the Chairman of the Ohwodo family of Ew u – Urhobo , Pastor Highness Akporode, described the allegations as false, distractive and incorrect.
He added that there was no time or day that any member of the Ohwodo family tampered with the disputed land, stating that the Edjekota community was always economical with the truth and had failed to tell true position of things.
“It was the Edjekota community that violated every order by selling part of the land which is being developed at the moment even when there is court order.
“We raised the alarm that they are trespassing on the land while the matter is still with the government, and we cried out to the government to intervene before crisis erupts for the second time.
“It is funny hearing them crying foul, but they should know that no one will take them serious because they are fond of creating violence and taking laws into their hands. They always lay siege awaiting Ewu-Urhobo people under the guise of vigilante doing stop and search. They intimidate, harassed a n d m a i m e d e v e r y Ewu-Urhobo indigene going or coming through their community, and constantly boast of over running our community.
“We won’t say much, but let it be on record that there was never a time, a day that Ewu-Urhobo who are peaceful and law abiding people had violated court order in regard to the disputed land.
“We raised alarm like I have said earlier, and we were both invited by the Ughelli ‘A’ Division DPO and the Ughelli South Division DPO, for a meeting. We were both warned not to do anything or trespass the land until the matter is fully resolved, and if we had wanted to demolish a building in the land, common sense will tell you that we wouldn’t have cried out to the public and government at the first time”.
P a s t o r H i g h n e s s Akporode, h o w e v e r , a l l e g e d t h a t t h e P r e s i d e n t –General of the Edjekota c o m m u n i t y, P a s t o r O g h e n e m a k p o U y o h, was looking for every avenue to cause crisis. In his words; “It is possible t h e y w e n t t h e r e t o destroy or demolished the building in order to indict the Ohwodo family or perhaps to provoke them, but we understand all his tactics and we will never be provoked.