Hundreds of youths from the Amagba Adolor community in Oredo Local Council of Edo State have staged a protest against the alleged encroachment and takeover of their ancestral land by strangers living within the community.

The protesters, led by Joseph Iduoyekemwen, the Odionwere (Head) of the Amagba Adolor community, marched to the Edo Government House and the Oba of Benin Palace to express their dissatisfaction over what they described as the illegal seizure of their land by the Okoroma people.

Iduoyekemwen alleged that a section of their community, known as Emokpae Camp, now called Okoroma community, has been unlawfully claimed by individuals who had previously settled among the Amagba people. He stated that the once peaceful Amagba Adolor community is now threatened by the settlers, who are asserting ownership of their land.

He added, “The Okoroma community is and remains a camp called ‘Emokpae Camp’ in Amagba Adolor community and not ‘Okoroma’. The Benin Traditional Council has no record of any community in Edo State called Okoroma.”

Youth leader Mr Osasu Monday supported Iduoyekemwen’s claims, lamenting that the Okoroma people are settlers and not rightful landowners in Amagba Adolor. He called on Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo and the Oba of Benin, HRM Oba Ewuare II, to intervene to prevent escalating tensions and ensure peace.

Osasu said, “Despite the intervention of the palace, indigenes of Obagie N’Evbuosa are now working with Ago Okoroma. They have continued to unleash mayhem in the area by forcefully chasing our people off the land with the help of armed thugs. Your Majesty, we believe lasting peace can only be achieved if our revered monarch intervenes to define the boundary between Amagba Adolor and Obagie N’Evbuosa communities once and for all.”

Addressing the protesters at the Oba of Benin Palace, Chief Isaac Oyeoba commended their peaceful approach and assured them that their concerns would be conveyed to the Oba of Benin for action.

At the Edo Government House, journalists were denied access to the protest, while four representatives of the Amagba Adolor community, including Iduoyekemwen, held a closed-door meeting with Mallam Gani Audu, the Chief of Staff to Governor Monday Okpebholo.