By Our Reporter
Fountain City Estate Landlords Association in Ibusa, Delta State, have sent Save Our Souls (SOS) message to the governor of Delta State, His Excellency Sheriff Oboriwori, over alleged tragic de@th of several members of the association, who suffered and died of stroke and hypertension, as a result of destruction of their property by hired thugs.
The landlords accused the popular Umuodafe family in Ibusa, the original owners of the land where the Estate is built, of sponsoring thugs that carried out the destruction.
In an interview with our correspondent over the weekend, Rev. Owen Ebubechukwu, Chairman of the landlords association, passionately appealed to Gov. Sheriff Oboriwori, the hardworking governor of the state, to urgently intervene and look into their plight and ensure that justice is done, as well as save the lives of their members who purchase the properties with their hard earned money.
Speaking further, Rev. Ebubechukwu, who wept profusely while brandishing relevant documents concerning the purchase of the land, said that they fulfilled all conditions as well as paid all necessary financial obligations to relevant authorities before they were granted the right of ownership of the land.
He stated that before paying for the land, they went to the state government for a search and was told that the land belonged to the Umuodafe Family of Ibusa, and not the property of the government.
While passionately pleading with the governor to look into their problem, the Chairman stated that members of the Fountain City Estate have the confidence that Gov. Oboriwori, who listens to the defenceless, will do justice to the matter and stop further deaths of their members as a result of shock arising from destruction of their legally acquired property.
Also appealing, Secretary of the Association, Mr. Akeem Lasisi, who is a key stakeholder in the Estate, noted that their plight emanated from corrupt tendencies of some members of Umuodafe Family, who connived with some corrupt government officials in the Delta State Ministry of Lands. According to him, these actors knew that the Fountain City Landlords were the rightful owners of the land in question, but decided to be mischievous so as to snatch the land from them, thinking that because they are poor, they can’t fight for their rights.
While pointing accusing fingers to unnamed cabal at Delta State Ministry of Lands, the Secretary appealed to Gov Oboriwori to intervene, investigate and find out the truth, adding that they believe God will use him to help the landlords.
On her own part, Mrs. Maureen Dumbiri, a pensioner speaking on behalf of other pensioners who are members of the estate, said that most of them purchased the property with their life saving, and were aware that everything concerning the purchase of the land was done legally.
She regretted that following wanton destruction of their properties, no fewer than twenty-five members suffered and died of stroke and hypertension, and appealed to Gov. Oboriwori, as a good Christian, to help them.
Lending his voice, Mr. Imaah Daniel, President of Osadenis Teachers Cooperative Society of the Estate, described the development as worrisome, stressing that the wanton destruction of their hard-earned, legally-acquired properties is wicked and ungodly, and further called on the state governor to come to their help.
