Displaced Rivers Communities Protest Land Grabbing Threats

Displaced communities in Rivers State, specifically the Lekuma Ogoni community, are expressing concerns over land grabbing incidents that threaten their ancestral lands. Esther Gboro, a leader from the Lekuma community, reported that individuals, allegedly in collusion with members of neighboring communities, are unlawfully selling portions of their ancestral land.

This issue was highlighted during a gathering to mark the 32nd anniversary of the military invasion of the Lekuma Ogoni community, which resulted in significant loss of life and property in 1994. Gboro stated that land grabbers are selling plots of land for as little as N300,000 without regard for the rightful owners.

The Lekuma Ogoni community spans three local government areas, including Tai and Oyigbo, and has suffered from the violent history of land dispossession. Community leaders are calling on the Rivers State government to intervene and protect their rights, emphasizing the deep scars left by the 1994 military invasion that destroyed homes, farms, and livelihoods.