The Media Workers Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society has alleged that land belonging to more than 100 of its members has been taken over by the developers of Cubana Millennium City in Issele-Azagba, Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State.
The cooperative claimed that the disputed property, covering about 28 acres or 224 plots, was legally purchased over 11 years ago but is now being developed without the consent of its members.
The group said it had written twice to the management of Cubana Millennium City, requesting a meeting to resolve the matter peacefully, but had yet to receive a formal response.
Addressing journalists in Asaba on Tuesday, the President of the cooperative, Vincent Maduka, said the land was purchased from Surveyor Titus Ayuba and was properly surveyed and registered with the Delta State Ministry of Lands and Survey before the alleged encroachment.
Maduka said the land remained free of disputes until about three years ago when a boundary disagreement emerged between Ogbeozoma Quarters in Okpanam, Oshimili North Local Government Area, and Issele-Azagba in Aniocha North Local Government Area.
He said the Delta State Government later resolved the boundary dispute, after which both communities returned to their original boundaries.
According to him, members visited the estate in January to repair internal roads but were later informed in May that heavy construction equipment had been moved onto the land.
Maduka said members who visited the site were told by machine operators that they were working for businessman Obi Cubana, through Cubana Millennium City.
He said the cooperative wrote to the company on June 29, giving it 14 days to respond to its request for dialogue, and later sent a reminder on July 15 with an additional seven-day notice after receiving no reply.
Maduka described the alleged occupation of the land as illegal, insisting that members acquired the property through legitimate payments made over four years.
He also alleged that survey beacons, signposts, fences and economic trees belonging to members were destroyed during the development.
According to him, more than 100 people own plots in the estate, with some already developing their land while others had planted economic trees and erected signposts before the alleged encroachment.
Maduka said the cooperative had not yet reported the matter to any government or security agency because it wanted to first give dialogue a chance.
He added that the cooperative possesses deeds of assignment and other ownership documents, although Certificates of Occupancy had not been obtained for the estate due to the cost.
Maduka also claimed that the surveyor who sold the land to the cooperative said he was unaware of how Cubana Millennium City acquired the same property.
He stressed that the cooperative was not asking the company to buy the land but was seeking discussions to resolve the dispute, adding that legal action remained an option if peaceful efforts failed.
When contacted, the Secretary of Cubana Millennium City, Vivian Chikelu, confirmed that the company received the cooperative’s letters.
She said the company had not responded because the letters had not yet been presented to its Chairman, Obi Cubana, who is currently outside the country.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Delta State Council, Churchill Oyowe, advised the cooperative to formally petition the Delta State Government, the Ministry of Lands and Survey and the Office of the Surveyor-General.
Oyowe also called on the Ministry of Lands and Survey to strengthen its land verification process to prevent multiple registrations of the same property and reduce land disputes in the state.
He warned that unresolved land disputes could lead to unnecessary conflicts if the rights of genuine landowners were not adequately protected.
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