A respected community developer in Okpanam, Oshimili North Local Government Area, Delta State, Mr. Tony Ubogu, has called on the police and other security agencies to protect his property attorneys, Mr. Egbuna Odogwu and Sunday Henry Okafor who oversee his land at Akwu Ibeliu Layout, Okpanam, by persons allegedly developing an undue interest in the land and allegedly for meeting trouble.
Mr. Tony Ubogu, in a statement that was countersigned by his wife and co-owner of the said land, stated that community youths invaded the home of one of his Attorneys, Mr. Egbuna Odogwu and that when they could not find him, they instructed his mother, Mrs. Mgbolie Mgbuka Odogwu, to warn her son not to go near the said land again.
According to the statement, trouble started when a sponsored group from Okpanam staged a peaceful protest on the 27/10/25, campaigning that two Court cases (i.e., in CHARGE NO: FHC/ASB/70C/2024 FRN VS DR. MBANEFO AGBOLU & 1 OR. and CHARGE NO: FHC/ASB/133C/2025 FRN VS PAUL NWAYANALI & 4 ORS.) involving the traditional ruler, HRM Michael Mbanefo Ogbolu, and others over a land owned by Tony Ubogu and his wife, Mrs. Jean Ubogu, should be discontinued.
Tony Ubogu and his wife explained that the land in question, about 250 plots of land at Akwu Ibeli Layout, Okpanam, belonged to them as bona fide indigenes of Okpanam, adding that it was “a compendium for surveying and bulldozing work they did for Obodogba Quarters, of which a deed of conveyance was prepared by one P. A Ogana, Esq between Diokpa isi of Obodogba Quarters; Obi Okeze Okonji representing Umu-Obodo sub quarter, Chief P. A. Dunkwu, the then Odogwu of Okpanam representing Umu-Osume sub quarter, and Ogbueshi (Major) H. A. Asoya (Rtd), representing Umuomahe sub quarter, respectfully all late now”.
Following unlawful encroachments by the defendants in the above-mentioned criminal cases, Mr. Tony Ubogu, his wife and other affected persons then sought legal measures to address the matter through the Nigeria Police Force who conducted a thorough investigation on the matter and the said criminal cases were accordingly instituted by the Federal Government at the Federal High Court, Asaba against some of the few individuals in Obodogba, including Michael Mbanefo Ogbolu, Paul Nwayalani and others who canvassed a false pretence that the state government, under the leadership of the former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, acquired it.
They expressed surprise that while the matter was still pending in Court, some persons embarked on meaningless protests to the extent that some youths of Obodogba Quarters, allegedly led by one Chukwuma Abumujor, took the matter personally by besieging the compound of Mr. Egbuna Odogwu and Sunday Henry Okafor allegedly threatening their families. According to them, since the development, the wife and children of Egbuna Odogwu have left their home for their safety.
While calling on the Commissioner of Police, Delta State, to intervene and save his attorneys (i.e., Mr Sunday Henry Okafor, Mr. Odogwu Egbuna and their families) from undeserved kidnappings or physical attacks that might inflict grievous harm on them, they urged members of the public to desist from any transaction with any other person on the land, except their said attorneys for the maintenance of peace and order.
When contacted, Chukwuma Abumujo did neither pick his calls nor replied to the messages sent to his GSM contact, but community sources said the matter was being handled to restore peace.
