BY IKHILI EBALU, BENIN CITY.
Iyagbugie Community Development Progressive Association, based in Ayua, Uzairue, has fired a strongly worded petition in which it accused the Ogieneni of continuously using some members of the local vigilante to remove the body’s sign post at Ayua, without any convincing justification for the action.
The association alleged that armed vigilantes led by one Mohammed Danladi, from Yelwa, who claims to be acting on behalf of the Ogieneni, had on two separate occasions pulled down the body’s sign post without any just cause.
Some inhabitants of Ayua village who spoke in confidentiality disclosed that the sign post in question has the name of the association embossed on it, wondering why it had suddenly become an object of interest to the Ogieneni, adding that the sign post has been erected on that same spot for over ten years.
Similarly, the association, with its registered office at Ayua in Uzairue and duly registered body with the Edo State Ministry of Youth and Sports, noted the actions of the Ogieneni as it relates to the association has become too overbearing of recent, stating however that there is need to call him to order.
Recall the first skirmish occurred June last year when the association’s sign post, erected In front of the building housing its office, was removed in a gestapo fashion by a team of well armed vigilantes, with a warning to deal with anyone who challenges them.
Speculations are rife within Uzairue clan that the monarch’s grouse on the “controversial” sign post relates to the rumour that the sign post contains inscription of the name of another village created out of Ayua by a rival kingdom which the Ogieneni frowns against, as seen as a direct affront on his authority.
However, the pictures shown to our reporter during a visit to the scene for a first hand knowledge of the dispute, did not in any way indicate violation or “sacrilege”, on the part of the association, rather what was written on the sign post was purely the name of the association.
The association had no choice but to petition to the police command through the legal firm of Mokidi & Co. The body had, through two of its members, Mr Stephen Igbafe and Alhaji Abbas Imodagbe respectively sought the intervention of the Police Commissioner in stopping the harassment of its members by the Ogieneni and his agents.
The association urged the command to urgently look into its complaints so as to avoid a possible breakdown of law and order in the community. It is on record that the harassment has increased recently to physical to cause bodily damage to the several members of the IYAGBUGIE-AYUA Community. This has necessitated the renewal of the appeal to State Commissioner of Police to take urgent necessary steps to prevail on the Ogieneni and his agents to stop forthwith the-same attacks and intimidation on the Iyagbugie-Ayua Community.