Sylvester Idowu
The people of Omadino community in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State yesterday took to the streets to protest against the alleged encroachment on their land by Eagle Heights University owned by former President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor.
The community, it was learnt, sold 100 acres of land to a church presided by Oritsejafor, which in turn purchased the land for the takeoff of the university.
THISDAY gathered that trouble started when the authorities of the university began to fence the land acquired, only for the community to discover that more land has been encroached upon.
The development was said to have angered the members of the Omadino community, causing them to direct the stoppage of the fencing, but they later discovered that military men were deployed to protect the workers.
The protesters included the elderly and youths, who matched with placards and leaves at the entrance of the university.
Chief Priest of the community, Yomene Oti Roland, who addressed the protesters, said the community was not against the takeoff of the university, but vowed not to cede any land beyond what was sold to the school.
He said it was unfair for the university, owned by a church led by Pastor Oritsejafor to encroach on their land.
According to him, “We are having a peaceful protest, even though we will not leave this place until we are attended to by the university to address our demand to limit themselves to the 100 acres of land sold to them. Imagine that other people’s lands were also annexed by the school.
“How do we handle their land that had been fenced with that of the university? We are just not happy with the situation. Oritsejafor should intervene and save the situation. His aides might not have been telling him the true situation on ground.”
Also, Pastor of Redeem Christian Church of God, Author of Life Parish, Dave Shekri, lamented that members of his church could not attend services anymore since their land and property have also been fenced by the university authorities.
Though Eagle Heights University is yet to take off, it was however inaugurated by former President Goodluck Jonathan on June 3, 2014, while construction works were still on going on the campus.
