Seeks Rivers Govt, Police Intervention in Dispute
Iruoma Okpalaebubu
A US-based indigene of Uegwere-Boue Community in Khana Local Government, Blessing Deyaah has debunked allegations by some members of the community that she is a land grabber.
The people of Uegwere-Boue community had last week protested over the alleged grabbing of a piece of land belonging to the community secondary school by Deyaah.
Debunking the allegation, Blessing Deyaah told journalists that she has documents to show that she legally bought the land from the original owner.
“I known you have been lied to by the leaders of our community, on many occasions on several things that happened in our community, this time they are lying about me, so am calling to let you know the truth, to let know know my own side of the story.
“They lied to you that am trying to take the community secondary school from Uegwere,that is not true, they lied to you that I grabbed the land that belongs to our community, that is also not true.
“The truth is that I bought a piece of land from a legitimate owner, everybody knows that, that land belongs to Saronee Naaton’s father, I bought the land few years ago. I bought this land legitimately from the owner.”
However, the US-based Ogoni woman wondered why the people would suddenly protest over the matter after carrying out the destruction of the property over one year ago.
She therefore, called on the Rivers state government and State Police Command to intervene in the matter.
“I have contributed to build this same community, I have assisted the community secondary school they are talking about, so I don’t see why I will pay money towards the development of a project in the community and they will go and destroy.
“The land I purchase does not belong to the community, the land does not belong to the school, it belongs to Saronee Naaton,. I paid for it, I have my survey plan and when I started construction on that land the community leaders never called me to stop me, the same when the land was cleared until I started the construction, but exactly a year ago after I have finished they decided to destroy it.
They destroyed the property because they said I am a woman and also a window, because they realised there was no body behind me and they think they can get away with it.
Therefore I am calling on the state government, on the police to come and intervene to ensure that no individual takes the law into his hand. I can not let them get away with this crime, this case is now with the police, calling on them to pay for damages.”
Speaking further, Blessing Deyaah said “I am asking for N20million from the people that destroyed my property”.