President Buhari handed down this order when he hosted a delegation of Urhobo Traditional Rulers, the leadership of Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) and Urhobo members in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Presidential Villa, Abuja while responding to one of the requests made which is reclaiming Urhobo lands that were donated to the military but had not been utilized for the purpose for which it was given, he disclosed that he had received complaints from different quarters over the way and manner the officers are grabbing the land that was not utilized.
President Buhari promised that the military officers allegedly selling the lands in Urhobo nation would be dealt with, he assured them that military officers behind the act would be made to face the wrath of the law.
According to President Buhari, “I have taken note of your representation that the land given to the military is being sold. You are not the first to make this representation, so by this representation I am constrained to tell the responsible Ministry to check and find out, whoever is responsible in abusing the generosity extended to the military will be brought to book. I assure you of that.”
The delegation led by HRM Laiyeguen Ogbon-Ogoni Oghoro 1, JP, Ohworode of Olomu Kingdom, one hundred and one (101)years old had earlier appealed to President Buhari to prevail on the military to return their lands which have being allegedly sold out for non-military uses.
According to the delegation, “we urge the Federal Government to look into the issue of lands which we voluntarily donated to the military years ago but which are now being farmed out in parcels and sold out for non-military uses. We request that such lands be returned to the owner communities in Urhobo land.”
It could be recalled that the military and people of Uvwie Kingdom in Uvwie Local Government Area have been at daggers drawn over alleged sale of lands donated by the community in Effurun and Ohorhe Communities, the people ably led by their monarch, HRM Emmanuel Sideso and Chief Victor Otomiewo, a legal icon have stood their grounds in their determined quest to resist further land grabbing by the Army.
It could also be recalled that the Nigerian Army in 1975 acquired parcels of land from the then Mid-West State Government for the construction of the present day Effurun barracks.
As at today,large portions of lands that were left unused for the barracks are allegedly being sold to private individuals and the Army is allegedly grabbing more for their private use in Ohorhe Community.
