Okere-Urhobo royal family said, “Louis Okumagba does not represent the interests of the families of Olodi, Oki and Ighogbadu of Okere-Urhobo.”
The Okere-Urhobo royal family in Warri, Delta State, has knocked the Okumagba royal family over an allegation of land grabbing of over 30 hectares of land in the town.
The members of the Olodi, Oki and Ighogbadu families in Okere-Urhobo of Warri South in a statement on Wednesday dismissed the claims made by one Louis Okumagba about the hectares of land in contention, while calling on the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, to wade in the matter.
SaharaReporters had last month reported that there was crisis between the Okumagba royal family of Okere-Urhobo kingdom and the family of Emmanuel Oritsejolomi Uduaghan, the “elema” of Warri kingdom over the alleged grabbing of the hectares of land belonging to the Okumagba family.
But reacting, the Okere-Urhobo royal family said, “Louis Okumagba does not represent the interests of the families of Olodi, Oki and Ighogbadu of Okere-Urhobo.”
Chief Gideon Okumagba, a representative of the three families, in the statement said, “The families of Olodi, Oki and Ighogbadu collectively owned landed properties in Warri. The families are represented by Heads of the Kindred family and are the original owners of the land until it was acquired by the then Bendel State Government. The families currently have their administrative office at No 60 Okumagba Avenue Warri where they meet frequently to deal with issues on family lands and other related family matters.
“As one of the elders in the family, specifically as related to the false claims by Louis Okumagba, I am well abreast of the issues raised in that publication. The good people of Warri are not in any war or in a battle over the landed property opposite Don Domingo College, Warri, and it is very shameful that the said Louis is trying to incite tribal/ethnic battle.”
“It is not true that the Alema of Warri Kingdom, Emmanuel Oritsejolomi Uduaghan, used officials of the Delta State Government to intimidate and arrest Louis Okumagba. To be candid, it was Chief Gideon Okumagba that reported his criminal extortion of money from developers to the Police Area Commander Office in Warri.”
The statement emphasised how the matter was dragged to the office of the Inspector-General of Police, Abuja, Usman Baba.
“Louis Okumagba claimed that he has been in the forefront of the land in dispute as false and misrepresentation of facts. The land was acquired by the then Bendel State for public purposes. The Delta State government has since done the needful by releasing and returning parts of the land to the Olodi, Oki and lghogbadu families who are the rightful owners.”
“There was never any consultation by Louis Okumagba with the well-known families of Olodi, Oki and Ighogbadu. It’s a futile attempt to incite the Urhobo and Itsekiri into a needless bickering. There is no dispute as far as the land in this narrative is concerned.”
The families also urged the Inspector-General of Police to use his good offices to investigate the allegations and anyone found culpable to be brought to book.