Residents of Enwhe community in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State on Thursday staged a protest over the continued dredging activities in the area, accusing operators of carrying out the exercise without adequate compensation to affected landowners and residents.
The protesters, made up of youths, women and community leaders, also demanded the immediate release of the community prince, Larry Eduvie Efekodha and four others who werep allegedly arrested in connection with the agitation against the dredging operations.
Carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Stop Destroying Our Lands,” “Compensate Enwhe People, Enhwe people did not stop any road construction, Its a Propaganda and Fallacy and Release our Prince, and others now, the demonstrators marched through major roads in the community, expressing anger over what they described as years of environmental degradation and neglect.
Speaking during the protest, a community leader, Mr Akpos Paul said the dredging activities had caused severe erosion, destruction of farmlands and economic hardship for residents whose livelihoods depended on fishing and farming.
He said, “Our people are suffering while outsiders continue to exploit our land and resources for the past four years the dredging has destroyed our environment, farmlands yet no meaningful compensation has been paid to the affected families.
“For over four years now, a man who called himself Don has been dredging sand from our community without compensation and rent payment to owners of the land.
“He is using over 24 dredgers in the place and when we confronts him to pay royalty to the community, he refused and vow to used his connection to deal with us.
“Currently, Prince Larry Eduvie Efekodha, Evang Collinus Dominic, Mrs Okudo Nepa and Oghenevo Peter have been arrested by security agents detailed from Asaba with the aim to taking them to Abuja just to silence us as a community.
“We are call on the president Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to prevail on and rescue us from the hand of the mighty.”
Another protester accused security operatives of intimidating community members who attempted to resist the activities, insisting that the arrest of the Prince Larry Eduvie Efekodha and four others aimed at silencing the community.
“Prince Larry Eduvie Efekodha and four others arrested committed no offence, they only spoke for the people for the community to benefit from their God given wealth that is being taken from them by force.
“We are calling on the authorities to release them immediately and stop harassing innocent residents,” the protester said.
Women who participated in the demonstration lamented that the situation had worsened poverty in the community, alleging that several families could no longer access their farmlands due to the dredging operations.
One of the women, Mrs Emakpor Atuzeme said, “We cannot continue like this, our children are hungry, our farms are gone and nobody is listening to us. We need justice and compensation.”
Mr Oke Unuviemu and Odogbor Emuhowho said, for the past four years, a notable man has dredged over 20,000 cubic of sand from Enhwe land without paying compensation to the people who cassava farms were destroyed.
“We notified the Isoko South council chairman and he promised to look into the matter and till this very moment, nothing has been done and it is now four years.
“We don’t want to share blood and it is because of that we are on this peaceful protest but if they refuse to hear our cry, they should be ready to kill the entire Enhwe community.”
The community however denied the allegations that they are collecting ‘deve’ from the dredgers, rather they are asking for compensation and royalties.
Others who spoke during the protest are Mrs Mercy Dominic, Miss Ogu Mercy
and amongst others
The protesters appealed to the Delta State Government and relevant federal agencies to intervene urgently to prevent a breakdown of law and order in the area.
They warned that failure to address their grievances could escalate tension in the community.
