In defense of Ebira territory

Report of the Convocation of Ebira Associations and Groups on the incursion into Ebira Territory by People from our  Neighbouring States conveyed by the Ohinoyi of Ebira land at the prestigious Azad Palace, Okene on Wednesday, October 8th 2014.

By Ismail M. Kabir

I arrived the Azad palace about 90 minutes behind schedule due to my primary assignment with EbiraView.

The crux of the matter is the excesses of the people Okpella who molest and abduct Ebira farmers and settlers in Oguda in their bid to forcefully annex the territory as part of Edo state.

Though the matter has since been charged to court with petitions submitted to Kogi state government and the national boundary commission, the okpella people and the Ososos are forcefully allocating the lands; planting trees and erecting signpost right within Ebira settlements which they have since uprooted.

One of the Oguda farmers delegation narrated their ordeals in the hands of the usurpers.

He said there were occasions when unknown gunmen released some shots in the area and fled. Efforts to trace the culprits yielded no result as none of the soldiers in the area claimed responsibility.

Most worrisome among the offenses was the abduction of some Ebira youths from the area who were taken to the palace of the Okpella chief and lashed with Koboko.

Another youth from Kuroko simply identified as Omeiza was not found until a threatening ultimatum was issued to the Okpella palace before the hostage was released few days afterwards.

As a matter of urgency, His Royal Majesty the Ohinoyi of Ebira land, Alhaji (Dr.) Ado Ibrahim has declared the tussle as a cold war that must be fought with all available tools within the Nation's law to prevent further attacks on the settlers and ensuring victory in the land dispute.

Popular opinion from the attendants including the traditional heads is the use of force as a deterrent to the desperate intruders.

Though the Ohinoyi cautioned against taking the laws into our hands on the matter, but he assured everyone that all option is on the table.

One of the guests, Hon. Hamza Usman berated the absense of adequate coverage of the interactive session for documentation, saying that such medium presented issues in a more serious manner before the appropriate authorities in this new age.

In our usual temperament, some people were already calling for urgent action to forestall the incessant attacks while others, especially the EYC opined that should any action be embarked upon, all stakeholders particularly our elected officers must be involved.

The ohinoyi further noted that all documents necessary for the legal fight towards retaining the lands are intact and evident enough to defend the ownership of the disputed areas.

The house suggested the formation of an action committee to which the Ohinoyi obliged but said will be done behind closed door.

A communique for publication in national dailies was equally suggested to include the signatures of all groups and associations present at the forum.

The conspicuous absense of the 5 Ohis (1st Class chiefs) of Ebira land was vehemently regretted by some contributors.

The Ohinoyi said he extended invitation to them and other stakeholders as he wondered aloud why some constituted authorities would ignore such a clarion call especially as it was coming from the palace of the Paramount leader of Ebira land. He therefore charged everyone present to go back home with the message that our territory is under attack and that all hands must be on deck in the defense of Ebiraland.

Vice chairmen of Okene, Okehi and Ajaokuta local government council represented their respective chairmen while several traditional rulers and some political egg-heads were also in attendance.