Community decries land grabbing in Delta

Following the activities of land grabbers, the agrarian Ajaji-Illah community in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State has cried out over the non-availability of land for farming.

The community which is currently in the state High Court, Akwukwu-Igbo with Delta State Government and Northsworthy Limited over the alleged forcefully take over of land belonging to the community, accused the state government of allegedly leasing out 533.97 hectares of their farmland to a private firm few years ago leading to litigations.

The spokesman of the community, Mr Sunday Chukwurah, narrating their ordeal on Thursday in Asaba, the state capital, said that while they are still battling with the state government and Noteworthy Limited over illegal acquisition, some land grabbers are on the prowl to sell the remaining land left for the community.

Chukwurah said, “We the Ajaji-Illah community are crying out over the invasion of our community land by land grabbers. The community which is about 30 minutes drive away from the state capital, Asaba, is worried that despite the vast land already occupied by Federal and State agencies.

“Some individuals suspected to be government officials and politicians were out to take over what is left of our land. We the farmers are now finding it difficult to farm due to lack of land.

“Ajaji-Illah Community was a food basket of the state, in terms of yam, cassava, vegetables, and even rice farming, but now there is no land to farm which is also contributing to the shortage of food in the state.

“The people of Ajaji-Illah have identified persons in their midst, including an octogenarian, who failed in his bid to covet part of our land. About two weeks ago, this same land grabbers accompanied by some armed policemen were seen pegging a vast portion of our land area at the Ngegwu farm settlement,” he said.

According to him, the community youths raised alarms after spotting the land grabbers only for the land grabbers to write a petition to the police authority in Abuja to accuse prominent men of criminal activities.

“We have also erected bold signposts on both Illah-Asaba road up to the Ngegwu farm axis on the same matter,” he added.

The community called on the general public not to engage in any land sale transactions with anyone including her indigenes, decrying the lost of space for farming.