By Mudiaga Affe
The Amiga community in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State has expressed gratitude to Governor Godwin Obaseki for taking the courage to revoke the Certificate of Occupancy of the 18 hectares of farmland held in the community by Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the All Progressive Congress, APC, governorship candidates in the September 2020 governorship election.
In an official statement endorsed by the Odionwere, Joseph Iduoriyekemwen J.P., Elder Victor Algbe; Elder O. Igbinidu; Monday Iduoriyekemwen and Elder John Aware, the Amagba community, thanked Governor Obaseki for acceding to the cry for justice over the expanse of land, which they claimed was acquired by Ize-Iyamu through acts tantamount to “injustice and oppression”.
The community noted that the entire land did not belong to Ize-Iyamu, “because portions of it were allocated to other individuals.
They added that the land, hitherto awarded to him by the community, had since been revoked ‘by the people and leaders of Amagba, after several letters by the people and a final letter written to him by the legal representative of the Amagba community.
Recall that Governor Obaseki penultimate month announced the revocation of the C-of-O of the 18-hectare farmland and went ahead, last week, to official gazette the revocation order, thus making it official.
Ize-Iyamu, had before the revocation, been using the expanse of land for farming and training of prospective farmers, with Governor Obaseki, during his first term, between 2016 and 2020, sending trainees to the facility.
The statement titled: Revocation of Ize-lyamu’s 18 hectares land, an official statement of Amagba community read in parts, “We, the indigenes of Amagba Community in Oredo Local Government Area (LGA) of Edo State, wish to express our appreciation to Governor Godwin Obasekl for listening and hearkening to our pleas expressed in the various protest letters written to him on the Injustice and oppression meted on us by Osagie Ize-lyamu.
“We are indeed grateful for the Governor‘s intervention and move to revoke the Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) on land measuring over 18 hectares, which was dubiously taken from us some time ago by the said individual.
“We hereby state, without equivocation that the said expanse of land, amounting to over 18 hectares did not wholly belong to Ize-Iyamu because portions of it were allocated to other individuals.
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“The portion of the land within the 18 hectares to which Ize-lyamu laid claim, hitherto awarded to him by the community, has since been revoked by the people and leaders of Amagba, after several_ letters by the people and a final letter written to him by the legal representative of the Amagba community.”
The community added that it decided to withdraw the large expanse of land because the allottee deviated from the purpose for which the land was allocated, “Agricultural institution to create jobs as well as open up the area for increased economic activities”.
“It turned out that Ize-Iyamu only used the proposed agricultural institution to deceitfully acquire the land from the community because there has never been any activity on the said parcel for these many years: Rather, the place, having been left unused, has become a den of criminals, posing severe security and safety threat to women, children and the entire people of Amagba community”, the statement added.
Ize-Iyamu earlier vowed to drag Governor Obaseki to court to challenge the revocation of parcels of land, including his own, located at Amagba village in Benin City.
