Ogbe-Ozoma Hails IGP for Intervention in Resolving Criminal Land Grabbing in Community
Ogbe-Ozoma Lauds IGP’s Action Against Land Grabbing Crisis
The leadership of Ogbe-Ozoma Quarters in Okpanam, Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, has commended the prompt intervention of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun in addressing ongoing lawlessness and criminality perpetrated by land grabbers in their community.
In a statement jointly signed by Chief Felix Okafor, Mr. Sunday Nwanze, Mr. Lucky Abuah, and Mr. Chinedu Ofuani, the Ogbe-Ozoma,the community praised the IGP for directing both the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force Criminal Investigation Department, and the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Police Command Headquarters, to thoroughly investigate all criminal infractions committed against Ogbe-Ozoma and to consolidate all pending petitions related to their complaints across all police formations.
This directive was issued in response to a petition dated September 23, 2024, which detailed the disturbing acts of compromise by investigative authorities and undue interference with criminal cases in court.
These issues stem from acts of violent criminal trespass, malicious destruction of property, murder, and other violent infractions committed by one Chinedu Okeke, aka “Ekwe Ogidi,” allegedly land grabber in Asaba, and his cohorts, against the peaceful community of Ogbe-Ozoma Quarters in Okpanam.
The community expressed concern about corrupt officers in uniform who have been aiding and abetting the compromise of police investigations, providing cover for the ongoing perpetration of heinous acts against Ogbe-Ozoma.
The statement reads: “Following the persistent violent criminal activities and malicious destruction of property being perpetrated by notorious land grabbers, and the numerous suppressed petitions inviting police investigations, the Inspector General of Police has directed both the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force Criminal Investigation Department, and the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Police Command Headquarters, to decisively investigate all criminal infractions committed against Ogbe-Ozoma and consolidate all pending petitions related to their complaints.”
The IGP’s directive responds to the aforementioned petition, which highlighted the alarming acts of compromise by investigative authorities and the undue interference with criminal cases arising from violent acts committed by Chinedu Okeke and his associates.
The grave perversion of justice orchestrated by these individuals, supported by enablers from Abuja, escalated when a team of policemen from the Special Enquiry Bureau (SEB), FCID Abuja, discreetly arrived in Asaba, ostensibly acting on a signal from the Office of the DIG. They presented this signal to the officer in charge of the Legal Department, Delta State Police Command, and withdrew an ongoing criminal trial involving some of these land grabbers, taking over the case file and all exhibits recovered by Delta State police personnel from the crime scene. These exhibits, recovered from Ogbe-Ozoma ancestral land, included a Caterpillar, Toyota Hilux, live ammunition, and other personal belongings of Ekwe Ogidi, which were handed over to him and his associates.
Charge No. CMA/334c/2024 between Commissioner of Police vs. 1. Adokwe Peter Nonso, 2. Madu Obinna, 3. Chinedu Okeke aka Ekwe Ogidi, and 4. Emeka Okoye was subsequently terminated based on this signal.
The Ogbe-Ozoma community is profoundly delighted and welcomes the IGP’s proactive intervention by directing a detailed, transparent, and comprehensive investigation of the serious allegations contained in the petition and the consolidation of all pending petitions affecting the same parties. This commendable development is expected to put an end to ongoing criminal activities and expose the true nature of these marauders.
The community finds it difficult to believe that investigations into serious offenses such as illegal possession of firearms, aggravated murder, the fatal shooting of a police officer, and malicious destruction of property—backed by substantial evidence recovered from the suspects—could lead to trivial indictments like forceful entry. This represents a significant compromise and perversion of justice by law enforcement officers.
When Bar Ifeanyi Ejiofor, the senior lead counsel for the Ogbe-Ozoma community, was contacted for his opinion on the IGP’s intervention regarding the long-standing desecration of Ogbe-Ozoma land, he confirmed that a similar petition had been submitted to the Chairman of the Police Service Commission and the Attorney General of the Federation, whose interventions are still awaited. He expressed optimism that the current development suggests there will be light at the end of the tunnel.
We, the leaders of Ogbe-Ozoma Quarters in Okpanam, Oshimili North Local Government Area, profoundly commend the Inspector General of Police for heeding the long-standing cries of our peaceful community for justice”
