Oil discovery tears Ute-Ohenze apart, many villagers killed

December 30, 2011

Oil discovery tears Ute-Ohenze apart, many villagers killed

By Kelvin Ideh

The once quiet and peaceful agrarian community, Ute-Ohenze, in Edo State, has been torn apart following series of crises that have engulfed the community since oil(petrol) was discovered in the area. Indeed, trouble started in early 2011 when Pan Ocean Oil Company visited the community and announced the discovery of crude oil. The news of the discovery threw the  government abandoned community into joy, having put into consideration the huge gains accrued to host community. Unfortunately, reverse became the case as Ute-Ohenze Community rather than enjoy oil benefits as a host community was engulfed by serious internal wars.

A prominent indigene of the war ravaged community and strong stakeholder who spoke to newsmen on the condition of anonymity revealed by saying, " Ute-Ohenze is burning at the moment, our palace has been burnt down with fire. Many of our houses have been set on fire and farms destroyed. Everyone in our community has ran away to seek for safety somewhere. I managed to escape by the whiskers and as I speak with journalists right now I do not know the whereabouts of my wife and children."

He further disclosed," that the highest victims of the ugly incident were his elder brother's wife and children who were all   trapped in their building and fire was set on them.  He stated that the only member of the family who survived the evil  attack was Okwuesi Monday but he later disappeared from the community owing to multiple threats on his life.

He noted, " We were living peacefully in our community,Ute- Ohenze, in Edo State until Oil was discovered. The oil prospecting company, PAN Ocean at the beginning created avenue for such ugly incident to happen. The community was totally abandoned by the company which  was sharing money to few persons in the community, including the King. The cat was let out of the bag after the king of the community alongside some of his Chief embezzled the  two hundred million naira (200,000,000) from Pan Ocean. Attempts to collect the money from the king and his cohorts triggered the war which unfortunately led to the death of almost one hundred persons with many injured. The worst affected was the Okwuesi family where only Okwuesi Monday survived the deadly attack. 

When contacted,  Nigeria Police, Edo State Command confirmed the report of the crisis and vowed to prosecute all members of the community who war against their King. The command listed Okwuesi Monday, Okafor Dunkwu, Ewere George, Ndidi Okoh, Imafidon Jacob, Jerry Iweka, among other youths in the community as wanted men by police. He promised that the command will prosecute all the aforementioned persons anywhere they are caught.

When journalists visited the crisis ridden Ute-Ohenze Community recently, it was completely empty as all the villagers had ran away to different locations.

Land dispute: Land grabbers declare war against Ngere family

January 11,2015

Land dispute:  Land grabbers declare war against Ngere family

By Oti Okoro

It is really a difficult moment for the Ngere family of Agbor, Delta State, Nigeria following a recent Land dispute in the community. The dispute unfortunately, has claimed the life of the patriarch of the  family, Pa Ngere who was kidnapped and murdered in cold blood by gun men who were hired by agents opposed to the Ngere family's ownership of some plots of land in Agbor

The dispute which took a different dimension in late December, 2014 after a clash involving the Ngere family and the Iand grabbers claimed one life.

A member of the Ngere family who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that his family members were working in the family Land when, suddenly, a group of men  stormed the land and ordered that they should leave. He disclosed that the argument the attack generated triggered a serious fight between members of the Ngere family and the land grabbers. Pa Ngere's son,  Ngere Buchi in an attempt to escape the attack hit one of the intruders on the head. The injured victim was reported dead after staying three days in coma in the hospital. 

He stated that the death incident led to the outright declaration of war against the Ngere family with Ngere Buchi as the number one suspect. However, Ngere Buchi' s father became a victim when his son ran away from the community. The innocent old man was kidnapped and killed by the land grabbers.

Our reporters reliably gathered that Ngere Buchi is still on the run, as he has not been seen anywhere since he escaped the attack. 

In tears another member of the Ngere family declared that their lives are in danger, particularly that of Ngere Buchi as a very serious armed group are combing everywhere in Nigeria to get him killed.

He prayed God to protect every member of his family, including Ngere Buchi who he said has been advised to remain in his hiding place for safety reasons. 

 I am form agbor delta state Nigerian. In December 2014 I was in my home town when we were working inside our land, some group of men came in and asked us to go out of the land which we started and aggueing and in the curse of that we started fighting. I mistakenly hit one of them with a stick on the head and he slumped and fell down. He was immediately rushed to the hospital and was later confirmed dead by the doctor after 3 days in comer. When he was confirmed dead I immediately ran to onitsha where I made my way to Kanu and the family started looking for me. Not being able to find me they adopted my father and killed him for refusing to give them the information of my where about. I noticed my life was in Denger if I remain in Nigeria so I decided to flee to Libya which I left Kanu on the 27 of December. On getting to Libya my friend told me that they have already adopted my father and killed him that I made the right choice to have left immediately

MONEY PALAVA: COUPLE SENT TO EARLY GRAVE

Posted: October 17, 2016

MONEY PALAVA: COUPLE SENT TO EARLY GRAVE

-Police declares only child wanted for homosexual act.

Tragedy struck the Efewangbe family of Owa-Alero Community in Ika North East Local Government Area as one of their sons, Mr. Isaiah Efewangbe, and his wife, Mrs. Happy Isaiah were shot dead on the evening of October 3, 2016. 

A close family source who pleaded that his name shouldn’t be mentioned lamented over the killing of Mr. Isaiah Efewangbe and his wife, saying that the youths of  Owa-Alero have finally carried out their threat to wipe out the entire family. 

Wanted Chukwudi Isaiah 

According to the source, “Our late brother and uncle, Mr. Isaiah Efewangbe and his family became prey for the youths of Owa-Alero when he could not account for the money given to him to settle the youths after the 2015 general election held in March.

“Despite the intervention of who is who in the political party for the youths to forgo the money and equally the plea by the late brother to give him more time to pay back the money, the angry youths have continually threatened to wipe out his entire household for his inability to account for the money”.

Continuing, the source said the worry of the Efewangbe family is the whereabouts of their late brother’s only child, Chukwudi Isaiah who according to them narrowly escaped death as at the time the angry youths stormed their home. 

The Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Owa-Oyibu Police Division, SP Lawrence Ogoregbulem when contacted on the matter said the bereaved family of Efewangbe is yet to make an official report to the police, disclosing that late Mr. Isaiah Efewangbe’s only child and son, Chukwudi Isaiah was reported to be a homosexual, and therefore has been declared wanted to be arraigned in court for prosecution as homosexuality is a crime against the Nigerian state which attracts 14 years jail term.

Culled from Ika Weekly