Residents of Obozoma Community, Okpanam, near Asaba, Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, have raised concern over alleged Police brutality, intimidation, unlawful arrests, and the shooting of two community members in connection with an ongoing land dispute involving a private estate developer.

The victims, Mr. Victor Okoye, popularly known as Fuji, a contractor and indigene of Okpanam, and Mr. Chinedu Ofuani, Chairman of the Obozoma Community Land Allocation Committee, alleged that they sustained severe hardship and injuries, including gunshot wounds, during a confrontation linked to the disputed land.

Addressing journalists in Okpanam near Asaba, the two men accused Bethel Court Estate of using security operatives to intimidate indigenous landowners and facilitate the takeover of community land under contention.

According to Okoye, the crisis began after reports emerged that portions of land previously allocated by the community were being fenced off and incorporated into an estate development project.

He explained that community leaders had invited contractors and stakeholders to inspect the site following complaints from residents and landowners.

“The land they are working on belongs to me. I worked for it and was compensated by the community. Some of the plots had already been allocated to individuals, while others had already commenced development,” he said.

Okoye alleged that upon arriving at the site, they discovered that several structures and fences belonging to landowners had been demolished.

“We saw that structures, fences and other properties belonging to people had been destroyed. Some of the individuals who purchased the land had already built duplexes there. The destruction was shocking,” he claimed.

He further alleged that armed police officers and other security personnel were present during the demolition exercise, creating what he described as an atmosphere of intimidation.

“The police presence was overwhelming. Officers from different units were there alongside armed personnel. It looked more like a military operation than a civil matter,” he alleged.

Okoye claimed that he was shot during the incident while attempting to challenge those carrying out the demolition.

“I was only telling them to stop what they were doing because the land belongs to me. That was when I was shot,” he alleged.

For Ofuani, the dispute has evolved beyond ownership claims into what he described as a broader issue of human rights violations and abuse of authority.

“This is no longer just a land matter. It has become a case of intimidation against an entire community. We have been subjected to harassment because we are defending what we believe is our ancestral property,” he said.

He alleged that despite not resisting arrest or committing any offence, he was subjected to degrading treatment by security personnel.

“I did not resist arrest and I committed no crime. Yet I was blindfolded, handcuffed and taken away. I was treated like a criminal,” he said.

Ofuani maintained that disputes relating to land ownership should be resolved through lawful judicial processes rather than through the use of force.

“If there is a dispute over land, the courts should determine ownership. The police should not be seen taking sides in a civil matter,” he added.

The affected residents appealed to the Federal Government, Delta State Government, human rights organizations, and relevant security oversight bodies to institute an independent investigation into the allegations.

They also called for justice for affected landowners and measures to prevent what they described as the misuse of security agencies in private disputes.

Efforts to obtain the reaction of the Delta State Police Command were unsuccessful as of press time. Calls, text messages and a WhatsApp message sent to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, were not responded to. Ditto the Chief Executive Officer of Bethel Court Estate, Mr. Michael Igbo. (The Guardian)

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