Chris Ekiyor Frowns at Ogbe-Ijoh and Aladja Crisis, Proffers Lasting Solutions

Former Ijaw Youth Council Chief, Dr. Chris Ekiyor has frowned on the ongoing conflict between the Ogbe-Ijoh community and the Aladja community in Udu local government area of Delta state and called on the state government to implement lasting solutions to this unending land crisis.

Chris Ekiyor revealed his worries over the brewing crisis during an exclusive interview with one of our reporters and proffered a personal lasting solution to the age long conflict which he said has also been forwarded to the state government.

He stressed that if the said piece of land is what is causing the crisis, the state Government should invoke its rights under the Land Use Act in acquiring the said land from both communities and put the land into use by establishing social infrastructure on it which will bring about development to the communities and create employment for the youths.

In his words, “It is the responsibility of the State Government to settle this lingering crisis. The state government should mandate the Commissioner for Lands to visit the conflicting land and value it properly. Then discuss and agree with Ogbe-Ijoh and Aladja communities on how much they want for the land and pay both communities equitably.”

Stating further, He posited that “The land acquired from both communities can be used to site a university, a polytechnic, a government farm, a factory, a military base, a police barrack, a hospital or something that both communities can go in and have government access. Thus, there will be no more conflict about the land and then government can heal the wounds. So long as that land which is the dividing factor is there, each time we settle this matter, after a while somebody wants to make use the land and someone else will stop him, there will be conflict.”

In the interim, Ekiyor sought for the intervention of Security agencies to quell the ongoing violence, kidnappings and killings and prosecute anyone found wanting. He also called on the traditional rulers and elders of both communities to engage one another in seeing that the conflicting land is made a sacrifice so that coming generations will not be involved in this crisis.

The former IYC leader who is an advocate of social justice and peaceful coexistence, sued for peace between the warring parties and reassured Deltans of the commitment of Governor Okowa’s led government in formulating a permanent way out to this land conflicts.

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