Land grabbing: Delta council signs bye-law to curb menace

A bye-law to prohibit forceful entry and illegal acquisition of public and private landed properties in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State has been signed.

Cited as ‘Oshimili North Local Government Public and Private Properties Protection Bye-Law 2023’, it is also intended to prohibit violent and fraudulent conduct in relation to public and private landed properties as well as regulate real estate business; among others within locality.

Chairman of the council, Innocent Esewezie, assented to the bill at Akwukwu-igbo, following its passage by the council’s Legislative Arm.

Speaking during the brief ceremony which was witnessed by traditional rulers, security agents, councilors and other stakeholders, Esewezie stressed the need for proper implementation in order to restore sanity to land dealings in the locality.

Esewezie said the bye-law would address the menace of land grabbing by unscrupulous elements within the area.

According to him, proper implementation of the law would bring sanity to estate development in the local government, noting that his administration was ready for industrialization, and would not allow illegality to undermine the positive steps so far taken in recent years.

He said the signing of the bill into law has made forceful entry or sale of community lands illegal with immediate effect.

The Legislative Arm of the council had passed the bye-law during plenary presided over by the House Leader, Adim Henry Ofuase.

Majority Leader of the House, Nweke Anthony, moved the motion for the passage which was seconded by the Deputy Majority Leader, Emmanuel Awele Isichei.

Chairman of the House Ad-hoc Committee on the bill, StellaMaris Mejulu informed journalists that the the law became imperative because of the need to address the nefarious activities of land speculators which had led to loss of lives, wanton destruction of public and private property and deep seated animosity among family and community members.