Okpanam, Delta State – March 19, 2025
A retired naval officer, Rear Admiral Vincent Chukwuma Okeke, has refuted claims that he forcefully took over land belonging to the Obodogba community in Okpanam, Delta State. Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Admiral Okeke described the allegations made by His Royal Majesty, The Ugoani of Okpanam, Obi Clement Mbanefo, as false and misleading.
Admiral Okeke’s Defense
According to Admiral Okeke, he legally purchased the land in 2010 from a realtor, Mr Ifeanyi Nwodigwe, who had earlier bought it from Mr Richard Ebigwe, an Indigenous contractor in the community. Before the purchase, Okeke stated that he conducted thorough checks to ensure the land was properly acquired.
He explained that after buying the land, he started building a fence around it, completing the low wall by 2011. The property remained untouched for over a decade until December 8, 2024, when he noticed that some workers had started laying blocks on his existing fence. He intervened and resumed fencing the land.
To settle any potential disputes, he met with the Obodogba community leaders, who initially demanded ₦30 million in development fees. After negotiations, they agreed on ₦10 million, which he paid in full. He received a receipt from the youth chairman as proof of payment.
However, on February 6, 2025, when he visited the site with his security team, the youth leader approached him, suggesting that he should relocate to another area instead of continuing construction. Okeke refused, insisting that he had legally purchased and paid for the land.
The retired admiral accused some members of the community of falsely claiming that he invaded the land with armed men. He dismissed these accusations, stating that the video evidence shown on television was misleading, as it featured a different piece of land and a building that was not his.
Realtor’s Testimony
Backing Admiral Okeke’s claims, Mr. Ifeanyi Nwodigwe, the realtor who sold the land to him, confirmed that the property was genuinely acquired. Nwodigwe said he bought the land from Mr Richard Ebigwe in 2009 and later resold it to Okeke in 2010.
He stated that the land was properly documented and had no disputes at the time of purchase. However, he acknowledged that over the years, the community had become divided, with some traditional leaders reclaiming lands after the government developed roads in the area.
Nwodigwe claimed that he had personally lost over 30 plots of land in Obodogba due to such disputes. He added that the same group of people responsible for taking his land were now trying to take Okeke’s land despite his legal ownership.
Eyewitness Testimony
A medical doctor, Dr. Jonna Nwabueze, who witnessed the land transaction in 2010, also confirmed that Okeke legally purchased the property. He recalled that at the time of purchase, the land was a thick forest and that the sudden dispute was likely due to its increased value following the construction of the Okpanam-Ibusa road.
Dr Nwabueze described the situation as unfair and emphasized that the retired naval officer had acted within the law when acquiring and developing the land.
Community Dispute and Allegations
The dispute appears to stem from land recovery efforts by some members of the Obodogba community, who allegedly resold land that had already been bought by previous owners.
There are claims that the land was resold for ₦250 million to a businessman from Agbor, who reportedly bought it from a bank. However, Okeke and his supporters argue that his 15-year-old fence on the land is proof of long-term ownership.
The case has now reached the police authorities at Zone 5, where some individuals were detained for four days. The situation remains tense, as both sides hold their positions on the land’s rightful ownership.
The dispute over land ownership in Obodogba, Okpanam, highlights wider issues of land grabbing and community conflicts in Delta State. While Rear Admiral Okeke insists he legally owns the property, some members of the Obodogba community argue otherwise.
The matter may ultimately be settled in court, as both sides continue to present their claims and evidence.
