Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CDHR)has called on the Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun to direct all petitions from Amachai , Okpanam land dispute in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State to be handled exclusively by the Delta State Commissioner of Police Aina Adesina for fairness and professionalism.
This call was made by the human rights group in a statement signed by Dr. Kehinde Taiga National President, Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CDHR) made available to journalists , the rights group condemned alleged land grabbing, contempt of court, and alleged misuse of security agencies to intimidate or dispossess communities of their ancestral lands adding that such acts are inimical to democracy, the rule of law, and social stability.
The body warned that land grabbers should not be allowed to provoke violence, sow division, or undermine judicial authority in Amachai Community or anywhere else in Nigeria as they are committed to the protection of fundamental human rights and the independence of the judiciary, preservation of peace, justice, and constitutional order across Nigeria.
The human rights group said that Amachai Community comprises four families—Umuezegbe, Umuezenzuo, Umugbala, and Umurie and has, for generations, operated under a recognized traditional governance structure in which communal land is held in trust by the Diokpa, the eldest person in the four families that made up the community, in accordance with customary law adding, this violations of rule of law has not only threatened public peace, undermine judicial authority, but violates constitutionally guaranteed rights of the people.
According to the human rights group, “the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CDHR), Nigeria, expresses grave concern over the escalating tension and persistent violations of the rule of law arising from the protracted land dispute involving the Amachai Community of Okpanam, Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, which is presently pending before courts of competent jurisdictions in Delta State.
“Court proceedings arising from internal disagreements within the community dated back to 2012 as the judgments delivered by Justice M. C. Okoh then at Akwukwu-Igbo High Court of Justice in the matter did not vest ownership or possession of the land in any faction referred as Amachai Group A or B but rather affirmed custodianship to the Diokpa, in line with established custom and Governance structure. There was no time any court lawfully transfer the land to any external individual or corporate entity.
According to the body, this mentioned writs of possession was obtained from another Court without recourse to High Court of Justice Akwukwu- Igbo that delivered the substantive Judgement adding that, the alleged act constitutes
forgery and uttering of forged documents, criminal offences under Nigerian law; gross abuse of court process; and contempt of court, particularly where such documents are used to undermine subsisting proceedings.
“CDHR unequivocally condemns reported attempts to enforce possession in defiance of this subsisting court order, allegedly with the presence and support of police and military personnel. Such actions, if established, amount to contempt of court and a direct assault on the independence of the judiciary.”
The body also called on the police not to arrest, detain or harass any community member on the basis of unsubstantiated or malicious allegations connected to land ownership but ensure strict compliance by all officers with subsisting court orders and injunctions. We also charge the police to sanction any officer found to have acted outside the law or in furtherance of land grabbing.
Dr. Taiga added, “we call for immediate cessation of all acts of intimidation, harassment, trespass, or force in Amachai Community, respect and enforcement of all subsisting court orders and injunctions, objective, professional, and impartial investigation of any genuine criminal complaints, if any exist, total withdrawal of police and military personnel from land possession activities, Good-faith dialogue and reconciliation led by community elders and relevant stakeholders”.