The Warri Study Group and Omadino Professionals in Warri, Delta State, yesterday, described the purported payment of N13 billion by the Federal Government for the acquisition of land for the Nigeria Maritime University, NMU, in Okeringhigho/Okerenkoko, Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State, as daylight robbery to the Itsekiri ethnic nationality.
The groups, in a statement by Edward Ekpoko and two others, called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and other security agencies to investigate the matter, claiming that they raised alarm before the payment, but it was ignored.
Already, the EFCC is investigating the payment of N13 billion to ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, but sources close to Tompolo said the Federal Government only paid him for the acquisition of the buildings and facilities at the Mieka International Diving Institute, Kurutie, for the take off of NMU, Okerenkoko, and not for the acquisition of land in Okerenkoko.
The Itsekiri groups argued that Okerenkoko is an Itsekiri settlement owned by the Omadino people and that Justice Obaseki confirmed it in suit W/30/62 when he said, “I find as a fact that the land in dispute is called Okerenghigho by the plaintiffs who are Itsekiri and Okerenkoko by the Ijaws who are the defendants.
“The Ijaw of Gbaramatu appeal to the Supreme Court on January 31, 1973, their appeal was dismissed by Elias, C. J., Sowemimo and Ibekwe SCJ. Now, one may ask, what is the difference between Okerenghigho and Okerenkoko? Okerenghigho is Okerenkoko. What the Ijaws have done is to change existing names as it appeared on the judgment.
“When the Itsekiri people of Omadino got wind of the acquisition, they registered their interest, as owners of the land to all authorities concerned, the Federal Government, Delta State Government and NIMASA – but were ignored since all authorities were either Ijaw or coerced by Ijaw from Presidency to NIMASA.”
They said acquisition of the land was suspicious, adding, “Rumour had it that the acquisition was done by the immediate past administration of Warri South West Local Government Area, headed by an Ijaw man.”
*Vanguard
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