By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu
In what has become a festering wound of injustice, the Okpanam community in Asaba, Delta State, is crying out for redress over a protracted land dispute marked by alleged unlawful acquisition, police collusion, and violent intimidation. At the centre of the conflict is a company, Ekwe-Ogbidi Integrated Resources Ltd., accused of forcefully encroaching on the ancestral lands of the community an act the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CDHR) on Monday 9th June, 2025, now insists must no longer go unpunished.
The Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CDHR), also took a swipe on the Nigerian Police over an alleged extortion, exorbitant bail from police net, harassment of innocent citizens amongst others.
CDHR disclose that, For over four years, the Okpanam people have reportedly faced continuous harassment, property destruction, and threats to their lives and livelihoods. Millions of naira in property have allegedly been lost in the process. Despite repeated petitions and reports to the authorities, the victims say their voices have been drowned by the silence of justice a silence they believe is sustained by corruption within the police force.
The CDHR National President, Dr. Kehinde Taiga, made the observation at a press conference held at the NUJ Warri Correspondents’ Chapel Press Centre located at Plot 12 Gbiaye Street, Off 1st Marine Gate, Warri.
The CDHR demanded that the Inspector General of Police monitoring squad should be strengthened to curb alleged malpractices in the Nigerian Police Force #police #viralvideochallenge @highlight #follower
The national President of committee for the defense of human rights CDHR. Dr. Kehinde Prince Taiga, accused some officers from the Force Headquarters in Abuja of aiding the land grab through unlawful interference.
Dr Kehinde Taiga said, “We are dealing with a clear abuse of police power. ‘Land matters are civil issues’. The police have no business using their guns and uniforms to terrorize citizens for private gain.”
According to court filings and a statement by CDHR, the dispute escalated when police officers allegedly backed attempts to forcibly take over a parcel of land near Witchtech Roofing Company in Issele-Azagba. There complainant, Godwin Ikechukwu, said that on July 23, 2024, he rushed to the site after receiving a distress call, only to be met with gunshots. His private security personnel were allegedly attacked by officers believed to be attached to a counter-terrorism unit.
“Imagine watching armed officers shoot at your workers and burst your vehicle’s tires, all in a bid to demolish your fence and gatehouse property worth over N180 million,” Ikechukwu lamented. “They even shot one of my SPU officers. What country are we living in?”
Court documents support these claims, with criminal charges ranging from forcible entry and malicious damage to unlawful possession of ammunition filed against individuals, including Adokwe Peter Nonso, Madu Obinna, and others allegedly acting on behalf of Chief Chinedu Okeke, popularly known as Ekwe Ogidi. The suspects are said to have unlawfully entered land already in the peaceful possession of Ikechukwu and destroyed structures on it.
Further deepening the controversy is the unusual judicial handling of the civil aspect of the case. A high court suit, HCI/6/2024, filed by Ekwe-Ogbidi Integrated Resources Ltd., was recently discontinued by the claimant without explanation a move CDHR believes was orchestrated to obstruct justice. The human rights body has called for the immediate reinstatement of the suit and a full judicial inquiry.
In a rare twist, the Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Abaniwonda Olufemi, has been commended by CDHR for refusing to succumb to pressure from Abuja to escalate police action on the matter. “CP Olufemi has shown what integrity in uniform looks like. He deserves national praise, not rebuke,” Dr. Taiga said.
The group’s demands are unambiguous: probe and prosecute the police officers involved, compensate the victims for their losses, and allow the courts to perform their constitutional duties without interference. “Enough is enough. The judiciary must not be undermined, and the police must return to their role as protectors, not enforcers for land grabbers,” Taiga emphasized.
The matter is further complicated by a police wireless message showing that despite an earlier directive to drop the case, another instruction came from Abuja to resume prosecution in Charge No. CMA/334C/2024 indicating internal contradictions in police communications.
CDHR also wants the conduct of top legal officers, including O/C Legal from Force Headquarters and a prosecuting lawyer, Rotshang Faith Dimka, investigated for their roles in what it called “gross abuse of legal processes.”
For now, the Okpalam community waits. Their land, their peace, and their dignity remain on the line. As the legal dust continues to rise, the question remains: will justice finally triumph over intimidation, or will silence and complicity win yet again?