Two groups in the Edo State have staged a peaceful protest over the 4 Brigade Nigeria Army’s encroachment on their land in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Council Area.
The groups – Ikpoba Hill Muslim community and Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN), who protested at the Edo State House of Assembly and government House brandished various placards, said the land the army allegedly encroached on was allocated to them in 1995 with a Certificate of Occupancy by the Edo state government.
In a protest letter to the governor, Godwin Obaseki signed by the community’s Chief Iman, Alhaji Umar Ahmed, Chairman Alhaji Jimoh Kasali, Secretary General, Alhaji Alama Danesi and FOMWAN Amirah Hajia Maimuna Momodu, explained that in 2015, the state Ministry of Land, Survey and Housing wrote to them for recertification of C of O, which they did, adding that they have been paying ground rent on the land to the state government.
The statement further added, ” Now, they have sold the only small space within our Mosque which we usually use for prayer, especially during the small and big sallah to all comers to do all sort of business and Muslims place of worship and it’s environ are consecrated and not for all kinds of business,”
The groups appealed to the State governor to reissue another C of O that actually depicts the size and dimension of land at no cost because we have not defaulted in ground rent payment.
