Kogiflame
Iddo-Ojesa community of Isanlu in Yagba East local government area of Kogi state have appealed to the state government to intervene in a land matter between them and Relix Mining Limited in collaboration with Joshman Multiconcepts Company Limited.
President of Iddo- Ojesa, Olusanmi Toyin made the appeal while speaking with newsmen in Lokoja on Wednesday
He said the community is in dispute with Relix Mining Company Limited (Chinese company) who through wrong negotiation with Joshman Multiconcept Limited (Nigeria Company) and other impersonators swindled an unsuspecting Chinese company in the purchase of fraudulently acquired land.
He explained that on the 17th of January 2023, a consent was signed between the Omo Meru Family of Iddo Ojesa community and Joshman Multiconcept Company, owned by the current Caretaker Chairman Yagba East Local Government Area, Mr Dare Joshua for a mining exploration licence covering a small portion of the family land.
The President said Mr Dare’s company failed to stick to earlier agreement by selling the entire Meru family land to the unsuspecting Chinese company (Rellix Mining Limited) aided by unscrupulous representatives of Meru’s family and others who appended their signatures to the illicit deal without the consent of the family head and other principal members of the family.
Mr Toyin said the agreement is unacceptable by sons and daughters of the family urging government particularly Kogi State Ministry of Land and Urban Developments as well as the Federal Ministry of Mines and Solid Minerals Development to step in to averts future crises bothering on land disputes.
His words ” Of course, the case is in the court, Meru’s family has an ancestral land in Odo- Osin. There has never been any dispute in the past and interestingly we are one of the largest land owner in Yagba land and Okun nation in general.Years back in 2006, an agricultural company approached us for a portion of land to utilise it for agricultural purposes. Part of the land was leased to him for ninety nine years and some amount was paid to the family. At that time, the land was underutilized and my people crave for development. The management of the company is good to the natives. The company deals mainly in oil palm, cashew nuts plantations, crop production and animal husbandry. The Director of the company, established both primary and secondary schools and made them free to the community. I mean down to feeding, books, tuition fees and uniforms freely provided through him. He is deeply loved and respected by our people. He believes that education is a key to community development and no child of Iddo should pay for education, a mission he has always fulfilled including bursary awards for indigenes in tertiary education. Unfortunately, his farm is now part of the land unfairly appropriated by Mr Dare the current Caretaker Chairman of Yagba East Local Government Area who now use thugs and security agencies to threaten and arrest workers on the land. Joshman Multconcept Limited only came into the scenario January last year for a consent letter towards mining exploration which was given to him. It was later discovered that the consent letter signed on 17th January 2023 for the exploration licences was doctored by Mr Dare’s company and resubmitted for the purpose of small scale mining lease, but both documents bear the same date which is quite impossible if due process was followed.To our surprised, by July last year (2023), Mr Dare came seven months after the consent letter was issued to his company and connived with some elders who are illiterates and created the impression to the elders that a compensation will be paid to the family as a result of the consent granted to his company. He told them they must append their signatures on some document in the palace of Agbana of Isanlu, His Royal Majesty, Oba Moses Etombi. The elders includes: Chief Osadumi Sunday, Elder Elder Rowland Olorunsola, among others. They were made to sign agreement for the sale of the entire land covering over 253 square kilometres which is over a quarter of the Local Government Area”.
He explained that with documents presented to the Chinese company, the land mass currently in dispute has encroached into many other communities including Idofin, Makutu, Odogbe, Ilafin and part of Ifare, Iboro, Ofe, Ipele clans in Yagba West Local Government Area.
Speaking through a phone conversation, the philanthropist who crave anonymity and had earlier been using the land for agricultural purposes on lease arrangement said he was disappointed at the way people with questionable character connived to frustrate his dream for the people.
He also stressed that he is more concerned about the environmental impact of the mining activities if not properly monitored, as there are real risk of hazards from pollution that can affect the community and his business.
Also in his reaction, the Baale of Odosin, Chief Olorusola Henry said despite his community needs for the development that mining can bring, he was moved to tears at the discovery of the tricks employed to defraud the people from their ancestral land and expressed hope that justice will at the end of the day prevail.
Similarly, the community secretary, Elder Taiye Ajayi called on sons and daughters of the land both at home and in diaspora to come together as one family and fight for their rightful heritage for the sake of future generations.
In his reaction, Caretaker Chairman, Yagba East Local Government Area, Mr Dare Joshua said the arrangement was properly done with all family head represented including that of the Director operating the farm on lease basis.
He noted that the mining sector is in the purview of the Federal Government emphasising that funds were transferred to the family account of the parties involved including that of the farm operator.
He said their actions were born out of greed and an attempt to get higher bidder to refund the money earlier collected from the Chinese company and make more gain.
Similarly, the Agbana of Isanlu, His Royal Majesty, Oba Moses Etombi said he has d constitutional right to attest to land transaction so long as the family head and representatives agreed for the sale or lease as the case may be.
He emphasised that he has always supported lease of land as against outright sale noting that he has no power over the decision of the family.
The Royal Father also maintained that the disputed land is not up to 253 square kilometres, saying no community has up to that land mass in Oddo Osin axis.
He also revealed that the agreement between mining company and the representative of the farm carter for the protection of plantation, crop and farm animals.
