According to reports, over 1,000 individuals were displaced on Friday following the demolition of hotels, schools, and other structures situated along 74 Road and Anwai Road near Government House Asaba, the state capital, by the Delta State Government.
Mr Frank Omare, Chairman of the state Taskforce on Recovery of Government Lands, led the committee members during the demolition operation. He pledged to pursue land grabbers who deceived unsuspecting citizens into purchasing government-owned lands.
Regarding the demolition, he stated that property owners had been notified well in advance. Additionally, all unlawful occupants throughout the state had been warned to remove their belongings, as the government aims to reclaim all official lands.
He said, “We are still on the Asaba axis. We will go to Warri, Ughelli, Isoko, Agbor, Patani, Ibusa and other areas. We are coming to all those places because Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has directed that we recover all government lands across the state.
“From the beginning, various government agencies told them the land belongs to the government but they refused since Kefas, Ibori, Uduaghan, Okowa and now it’s Sheriff Oborevwori’s administration.
“We are looking for the land grabbers and those community leaders who have misinformed and misled the less privileged in this state. How can you sell government land?
“A lot of them have run away but the government is coming after them because the suffering is too much as a result of greed of some people but we cannot fold our hands because government is government.
“It is not about Governor Sheriff Oborevwori or Chief Frank Omare but the defence of government policies. It is not targeted at anybody.
“Dear Deltans, ask well anywhere you are whether the property is on government land. Just remove your valuables because the government will soon get there.”
Omare stated that they have presented a government gazette and Certificate of Occupancy to the public, emphasising that no one can possess a contradictory Certificate of Occupancy.
He dismissed allegations that the government had granted property owners a one-year extension to formalise their ownership as mere propaganda.
Omare also noted that they are addressing challenges posed by individuals within the government who collude with land grabbers, referring to them as saboteurs.