Community Drags Delta Government to Court For Destroying their Shrines

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Thursday, February 2nd, 2017

By IGNATIUS OKPARA, Asaba

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Owa-Ekei, community in Ika North-East council Area of Delta State, South- South Nigeria has instituted a legal action against the state government for allegedly destroying their ancestral shrines and other historical traditional values in the locality.

They filed the suit Thursday at a High Court sitting in Asaba, the Delta state capital, to challenge the action which was carried out by the state ministry of Lands and Survey.

The plaintiffs in the suit number 11/106/02/DTSHC/, are also praying the court to compel the government to compensate them for the loss.

The community,is demanding an apology from the state government, as well as payment of N50billion naira compensation within 21 days ultimatum issued to it, before the suit was instituted.

Reacting to the development Thursday, the state Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Chief Dan Okenyi, dispelled the allegation that he masterminded the operation.

According to him, officials who carried out the operation are currently working under the mandate to recover government lands and property, saying they are merely performing their civic duties in Owa-Ekei community.

He stated that it was not the business of the officials to know whether there were shrines or not in government lands, adding that “there is no cause for alarm, we shall meet in court when the time comes” he declared.