Saturday, June 21, 2025 - The Headquarters 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Benin City, has warned some members of Oghede and Iyanomo communities in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State, to immediately desist from encroaching on lands legally belonging to the Nigerian Army
Captain Chinonso Polycarp Oteh, Acting Assistant Director,
Army Public Relations 4 Brigade in a statement further extended the warning to
other adjoining communities around Nigerian Army Cantonment Ekehuan.
It expressed deep concern over the activities of some
community leaders, particularly the Enogie (Traditional Ruler), His Royal
Highness King Osazebare Aghahowa, who has continued to encourage the
encroachment on barracks land, saying the action undermined the ongoing peace
process aimed at resolving the long-standing issue of encroachment between
Oghede community and the Nigerian Army through peaceful dialogue.
It said despite the communities’ illegal occupation of
military land, the Nigerian Army, in a spirit of goodwill and civil-military
cooperation, extended an olive branch by engaging in peaceful conflict
resolution, adding that rather than seize this opportunity, the community took
legal action against the Nigerian Army.
He added that following subsequent legal developments and
the realization that their claims lacked legal merit, the community opted for
an out-of-court settlement, which the Nigerian Army, as a responsible and
people-oriented institution, accepted.
According to him, instead of adhering to the resolution
reached by a committee set up to explore the out-of-court settlement which
mandated both parties to maintain the status quo, the community leaders had
continued to sell portions of Nigerian Army land to hoteliers, estate
developers, and private individuals.
He added that this blatant disregard for lawful agreements
had compelled the Brigade to consider taking decisive actions, including the
demolition of illegal structures on military land within the Ekehuan
Cantonment.
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