The Nigerian Army has issued a strong caution to the leadership and residents of Oghede and Iyanomo communities in Edo State, accusing them of repeated trespass on military land around the Ekehuan Barracks in Benin City.
This warning was contained in a statement released on Saturday by Captain Chinonso Oteh, Public Relations Officer of the 4 Brigade of the Nigerian Army.
Oteh revealed that the Army is contemplating decisive measures, including the demolition of unauthorized structures erected on the disputed land.
He noted that community leaders had ignored multiple efforts to resolve the dispute amicably.
He pointed out that the current land invasion breaches an earlier resolution reached outside court after a legal action initiated by the communities was struck out for lack of standing.
“The Nigerian Army, in the spirit of goodwill and civil-military cooperation, agreed to an out-of-court settlement after the communities’ claims were found to lack legal merit.
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“This was done to promote peaceful conflict resolution,” Oteh said.
“Regrettably, instead of honouring the terms of the settlement, community leaders have continued to sell portions of the Nigerian Army’s land to hoteliers, estate developers, and private individuals.”
The Army expressed concern that several of these structures now stand in areas designated as operational zones, including locations used for live-fire training exercises, posing a grave threat to public safety.
Captain Oteh warned that if the illegal activities are not halted, land speculators might attempt to annex the entire Ekehuan Barracks property, allegedly with the endorsement of the area’s traditional ruler (Enogie).
He further accused some individuals of producing forged documents in a bid to falsely assert that the land had been relinquished by the Army.
“To be clear, the land in question was lawfully acquired and demarcated in 1966, and a Certificate of Occupancy (No. 11751) was issued to the Nigerian Army on April 26, 1994, in accordance with Edo State land laws,” Oteh clarified.
He reaffirmed the 4 Brigade’s dedication to maintaining law and order, stating that the Army would not be swayed by threats or misinformation intended to weaken its authority.
