By Dennis Udoma, Uyo
The Paramount Ruler of Uyo Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State, HRH (Edidem) Sylvanus Okon, has warned against intimidation and harassment of Eniong Offot indigenes from possessing their lands by land grabbers.
Edidem Okon gave the warning, while debunking a media report in the local tabloid in the state, which purportedly linked him to him land grabbing scandal describing, the allegation as a false alarm.
He said, as an Elder, it was not right to respond to everything that was said against him adding that, ‘‘as a traditional ruler, who looks after the welfare and peaceful cohabitation of the people of my community, it is maturity, tolerance and sense of accommodation that must be the integral component of my character’’.
The Royal father, who also doubles as the Village Head of Eniong Offot and Clan Head of Offot Ukwa further stated that, his pronouncement on any issue must not flicker.
Edidem Okon said, although the state government had sometime encroached on Eniong Offot land and illegally allotted it to buyers without legally acquiring it from the community but, a suit No: HU/293/2015 filed by government allotment officer, Juliana Ebi Sunday Iwok against a private buyer of a land from an indigene, after thorough analyses of the matter, the court on July 12, 2019 ruled in favour of the community, warning against further encroachment by any government agent, state government did not legally acquired the land.
He therefore, implored those buying lands illegally from people to liaise with the community’s Land Verification and Recovery Committee, to resolve all land issues noting that, the use of force or collaborating with the police to intimidate/harass the indigenes of the community was not a recipe to peaceful settlement of land matters.
