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The Oroworhukwo Community in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area has raised alarm over allegations that a prominent politician is attempting to seize their ancestral land. The community claims that policemen are aiding the politician in evicting workers from the disputed land.
In a protest held on Saturday, Buduburisi Ejeknu, Chairman of the Land Allocation Committee, accused a well-known politician of orchestrating the land grab. Ejeknu stated that investigations revealed the involvement of a powerful politician from within their kin, who has allegedly hired policemen to intimidate and chase away workers.
"We hoped reason would prevail, but on Thursday, policemen arrived, fired shots, and arrested two of our workers while we were preparing to allocate the land," Ejeknu said. "The police have no business in land matters. Anyone with a land dispute should go to court."
The community is appealing to the State Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to intervene and ensure the peace of the community is maintained. They vow to resist the land grab through all lawful means.
Livingston Wechie, Secretary of the Nkpolu Oroworhukwo Land Committee, described the police's actions as an affront to the community. He criticized the politician, a fellow kinsman, for seeking to forcibly take their land and urged him to seek land within his own community through traditional means.
"We are peacefully reclaiming our land. We are not here to blackmail anyone, and we will not be intimidated," Wechie said. "We are sending a delegation to the politician’s community as a symbolic gesture, and we emphasize that this is not about politics."
Police spokesperson Grace Iringe-Koko stated that no official report of police harassment had been received and advised the community to file an official complaint for investigation.
The Oroworhukwo Community remains committed to reclaiming their land and preserving their ancestral heritage against what they perceive as unjust encroachment.
