Some landlords in Iroko,Cenamon and lemon drives in ceedarwood estate on SARS road in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State has accused the Divisional Police Officer,DPO of Special Area Rumudomaya aka Rumuokoro Police Division of fraternizing with an alleged land grabber, Stephen Nyegwa of Rumuagholu community to take over their property which they have built for many years.
In an interview with Chinedu Igweze, one of the landlords whose property was marked for demolition at cenamon drive, told Journalists that for the past three days Mr Nyegwa and Police detachment having being coming to the estate to mark people’s property for demolition under the guise of having a court judgement whereas there is no court judgement anywhere.
Mr Igweze said ‘one of our landlord tried to enquire from them the reason of invasion of the estate and excavation of people’s land with intent to take over such property,the landlord was arrested and taken to Rumuokoro Police station.The DPO checked the said court papers,there was no judgement whatsoever declaring Nyegwa as the owner of the property.
“Surprisingly,we came back to the estate and saw Mr Nyegwa with detachment of Police officers from Rumuokoro Police Division still excavating people’s land and taking over people’s property”.
Another property owner, Rita Ibifaka in an interview with Journalists said she has been living in the estate for a very long time.
“They (land grabbers) gave us seven days to quit our property after marking it for demolition.I am calling on the Rivers State Government and the leadership of ObioAkpor LGA to come to our aid”she said
Also a legal practitioner and landlord in the estate,Gbenga Oladapo Esq accused the Divisional Police Officer of Special Area Rumudomaya of fraternizing with the alleged land grabber to permit his officers to act as Police baliff,facilitating inscriptions of fraudulent demolition orders on people’s property without a valid court Judgement.Mr Oladapo called on the Inspector General of Police to immediately redeploy the DPO of Rumudomaya Special Area as some landlords have been admitted in hospital due to development of high blood pressure.
Petitions sighted by our correspondent which was written to Inspector General of Police by some of the landlords in the estate copied to Police Service Commission, Rivers Commissioner of Police,Senate Committee on Police affairs accused the DPO of aiding the alleged land grabber.
Meanwhile,Engr.Stephen Nyegwa in his official response to the incident denied being a land grabber and maintained that the property belonged to his late father and what belongs to his late father belongs to him.
Mr Nyegwa said ‘ I am a good citizen of Obio/Akpor LGA.The land is a family land which belonged to our forefathers precisely Aker.
The land was a subject of litigation between my father HRH Samuel Kinikawon and his cousin Apostle.
*My father took Apostle to high court.Apostle won the case at High court.My father not satisfied with the Judgement of the high court,proceeded to Appeal court where the justices of Appeal court set aside the Judgement of the High court and ordered the Chief Judge to re- assign the case to another High court in Rivers State.
Mr Nyegwa disclosed that whlle the case was in court, Apostle sold the lands to people and his late father then, informed the people that the property was subject of litigation but some of them told Apostle not to be worry that they are very connected.
He alleged that Apostle has sold 95 percent of the family land and the ones he is taking charge of in the estate is just five percent that belongs to his late father and by inheritance him.
Mr Nyegwa exonerated the DPO of Special Area Rumudomaya of any complicity adding that the Police seen with him is not for evil but Police officers attached to his registered estate company.
He accused his accusers of conniving with his father’s brother to grab his land.
The Spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command,SP Grace Iringe Koko when contacted promised to get back to our reporter but was yet to do so as at press time.