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There was almost a breakdown of law and order on Saturday in Benin, Edo State as protesting youths of Uhunmwoke Orhuma Ewuare Village, Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of Edo State protested an alleged land grabbing by Christ Embassy Church.
The angry youths who blocked the ever busy Sapele Road, carried placards with different inscriptions like, ‘Edo Commissioner of police has been bribed by Christ Embassy’, ‘Pastor Henry and Pastor Tom are using police commissioner to grab our land’, ‘CP leave our land alone’ among others, accused the church of illegally taking over their land.
The Odionwere (Elder) of the community, Pa Ogieva Edonmwenyi, said they have written to the Senior Pastor, Chris Oyakhilome, gone to his church and have not met him, which made the youths resolved to protest.
He said, “This man, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, has taken over our land. We have written to him, gone to his church and till today, we have not seen him. So our youths had no option, but to go in and take over the property.
“Our women have no place to farm and that is why they are protesting. He brought police to harrass us in our community.
“A portion of the land belongs to the Oba, while our community shrines is also on that land. The place has become a kidnappers den. We are pleading to the governor to save us.
Also speaking, the youth leader, Daniel Omoregbee, said, “We woke up this morning to see about 20 Hilux vans filled with policemen in our community and they have been harrasing us since then. We are begging the Oba of Benin, Ewuare ll, and the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, to come and help us.”
Reacting, Camp Manager, Believers Love World Camp Ground, Benin City, Clement Aikpokpo, said the church bought the land from Obe Community (a neighbouring community) in 2006 and obtained Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) in 2010.
“We bought this land 2006 from Obe Community. When we started fencing the land, some communities, about three of them, came to us and said they own part of land. They were all settled.
“We even went to the late Oba of Benin, Oba Erediawa, who settled the matter for us.
“We have fenced it round since 2006 when we bought the land, the community has not deem it fit to lay claim to the land. Why now?,” he said.
