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‘Illegal Ticketing’ Of Motorists: CSO Takes Swipe On Edo Govt, Threatens Legal Action
Edo Civil Society Organisations (EDOCSO) Saturday vowed to sue Edo State Government over what it tagged ‘illegal ticketing’ and other rates from motorists operating outside parks on daily basis.
The civil society organistions argued that this action by the state government contravened Fourth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
In a resolution reached after a General meeting of all affiliate arganizations and study centres of EDOCSO on Saturday in Benin City, Edo State capital, The Executive Council (TEC) interim chairman, Bishop Osadolor Ochei, said EDOCSO is compelled to take such action after series of complaints of alleged Human Rights abuse by some revenue enforcers in the state.
“I am no longer going to write petitions. When we are ready, we will take them to court to challenge the local government as to who gave them authority to be stopping vehicles and embarrassing passersby on the road to collect money. If they want to collect revenue, they should go to motor parks,” he said.
READ ALSO: EDOCSO Demands Stoppage To ‘Indiscriminate Towing Of Vehicles’ In Areas With No Warning Sign
A legal practitioner was also invited at the meeting to enlighten and educate members of the group and the general public on how to go about acquiring land without runing into trouble or having issue with anyone as regards the land.
Speaking on the topic: ‘Laws of Land, Dele Igbinedion, Esq. advised prospective land buyers and potential property developers in Edo State “to be extremely circumspect in acquiring lands (properties) from villages/communities by tracing the roots of lands to their original owners before they enter into any agreement with prospective sellers.”
He added that “most communal lands do not have a valid root of titles to the original owner(s) in the Deeds of Conveyance”.
Bishop Osadolo Ochei, TEC interim Chairman (middle) and other members during Saturday’s meeting.
Igbinedion who identified five ways to prove land ownership in Nigeria viz: Traditional Evidence; by Title Document(s) otherwise called Deeds of Transfer; By Acts of Ownership; By Acts of long possession and proof of possession etc, clarified that apart from lands that accompanied the traditional stool before the enactment of Land Use Act of 1978, most of the lands in Benin kingdom had been owned by individuals and remained so.
He explained that, “There is no land that is vacant as Community-owned land” although there are some lands that are clearly defined as entirely “Community-owned” even though some lands are allocated to individuals as inheritance.
“Since the demand for land use became high in Benin, land speculators have driven the cost of land very high”, according to the Legal practitioner.
The legal practitioner who gave an overview of land acquisition and ownership from ancient to contemporary times in Nigeria, described the Land Use Act, as a useless piece of legislature which has devalued land as a resource that can be grabbed indiscriminately by state actors.
According to him, courts in Edo State are divided over the applicability of laws on land allotment due to the fusion occasioned by ownership of Land Use Act.
READ ALSO: EDOCSO Dissolves Interim Leadership Over Abuse Of Office, Others
“More worrisome is that most land defenders in Edo State are suddenly become Vigilantes; and I find this incongruous. You can imagine that if we do not curtail this, where will Edo State be in the next few years.
“I am looking at it from the point of Human Rights. How can a person who has just finished Cannabis Sativa (weeds) enforce the Right of another person?”, he queried.
He further frowned at the alleged reports of extortion by some members of Edo State Vigilante Network who sometimes carryout stop-and-search on roads and demand money from motorists to enable them buy bullets and take care of their basic needs because they do not have monthly salaries.
How can a Country or a State make progress with that?
“We are solving immediate problems for now and we are creating a monster for the future”, he said.
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