Metro

Traditional Ruler, Two Others Killed In Bloody Benue Land Dispute

Published

2 years ago

May 14, 2024

A protracted land dispute between the people of Okete in Ohimini Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue state and the neighbouring community of Otukpo-Nobi in Otukpo LGA over the ownership of

Amla-Icho community land has claimed the lives of a traditional ruler and two others in the feuding communities.

It was gathered that the age long dispute was triggered last week when the Chairman of Otukpo LGA, Alfred Omakwu allegedly sent a bulldozer to the disputed land to enable him commence work on the creation of a layout in the area.

The presence of the earth moving equipment angered the people of Okete who moved to stop the destruction of the cultivated land.

In his account on the incident, the Chairman of Otukpo LGA said “the problem is that the Okete people lost it. It is a dispute between Amla in Otukpo and Okete in Ohimini LGA and a total of three people lost their lives in the crisis.

“What happened was that they (the Okete people) used to go and farm in Amla land but sometimes last year when we wanted to develop a layout there, the Okete people went to report to the Och’Idoma that their farm produce were there and the Och’Idoma directed that no layout should be done until they harvest their products.

“February this year, they harvested their produce and the Och’Idoma called them and informed them that by March this year, Otukpo would go ahead with their layout and that they should not farm there again.

“But when the bulldozers returned they said they had farmed there already and reported the matter to their Second Class Chief as well as their LGA Chairman who called me and I told them that the Och’Idoma asked them not to farm there again because of the layouts.

“So when the bulldozer went there on Friday, they came with their lawyer who called me and I told him everything and said if they want to go to court, it was their right.

“They demanded that the bulldozer stopped work but their lawyer advised that they should wait for him to get an injunction from the court but they said they could not wait.

“They then went to the First class chief of Otukpo/Ohimini who called Och’Idoma and the Och’Idoma said they should not stop the people doing the layout because he asked them not to farm their again.

“At that point they went there and opened fire on the people; they killed one and shot two people and burnt all their motorbikes about 10 of them.

“Then Otukpo retaliated the next day; they also burnt some houses and killed one person and killed another person in Amla making two.

“But we have maintained calm. The Police Commissioner summoned all of us for a peace meeting so we are restoring peace now among both parties. We have agreed that all the culprits will be arrested and brought to book.”

Countering his Otukpo counterpart, the Ohimini LG Chairman, Samson Okoh who also acknowledged that the dispute was over land said “there is a place called Amla, it’s close to Okete. The Otukpo Chairman took the bulldozers to the place where the Okete people used to farm for years and according to him he wanted to do a layout. So he went and destroyed their farm crops.

“When the Okete people demanded an explanation, the Amla people said the land does not belong to the Okete people but to the Amla people.

“According to what I was told, when the argument ensued somehow one of them from Otukpo pulled the trigger and shot but the bullet mistakenly hit a fellow Otukpo person.

“Then on Saturday night the Amla people went and reinforced and barricaded the Okete people, burnt houses, beat up ans killed one boy. And on Sunday around 10am when I went to take the boy they killed to the mortuary, the Alma people went to the place again and burnt 17 houses, burnt motorcycles, slaughtered a Clan Head Chief Sunday Okpe, and shot five other persons who we took to the Teaching Hospital in Otukpo for treatment.”

The Chairman who informed that the community had been deserted said the parties had been summoned by the Police Commissioner over the matter and that efforts were on to apprehend the masterminds of the crisis.

On whether the Paramount ruler of Idoma land, Och’Idoma Agaba-Idu John Odogbo asked his people not to farm on the said land again, the Chairman said, “I am not aware of that but the Otukpo Chairman claimed so. I was not told by the Och’Idoma to tell the people not to farm there.

“Moreover, the Och’Idoma cannot tell the people to stop farming where they have been farming for several years without compensation or settlement and you just take the bulldozer to destroy their crops on the hectares of land they eke a living from.”

Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent, SP, Catherine Anene who confirmed the development said the command received the report of one death though she was awaiting full details of the incident.

Metro

The Woman I Married After 8yrs As widower Fights Me With Harmful Objects, Threatens To Kill Me

Published

5 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Editor

Grade A Customary Court sitting at Mapo, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, has adjourned until February 2, a divorce suit brought before it by a man, Oladayo, against his wife, Leah, whom he married eight years after the death of his first wife.

Oladayo alleged that Leah did not love or care for him.

He added that she was stubborn and always loved to have her way. The plaintiff further said that the defendant was troublesome and in the habit of fighting him with harmful and dangerous objects, and added that she later took to threatening to kill him.

Oladayo explained that he came to court because he did not want the blood in his hands.

Leah was absent in court even though she was served court summonses.

Oladayo, during his testimony in court, said that he met his wife in 2017 through his church leaders.

He said: “I lost my first wife eight years before I met and got married to Leah.

“I waited that long to contract another marriage because my children from my first marriage were still in their tender ages when their mother died.

“The eldest of the three children then was just eight years old.

“I also did not want them to be emotionally and psychologically disturbed.

“I met Leah through my pastors in church.

“They introduced her to me and encouraged me to go into a relationship with her, which I did.

“Leah was well-behaved throughout the period we courted. This gave me the courage to go on with the relationship and I felt it was worth it.

“I was happy to put behind me the grief and sorrow I experienced when I lost my first wife and moved on with my life, but I never knew that the worst awaited me.

“I proposed to Leah, and she accepted to go into marriage with me.

“We held a church wedding and also carried out other relevant marital rites.

“I paid her bride price, but this was returned to me by her parents.

“Leah moved in with me, and then my life was turned upside down.

“The once gentle and easy-going lady suddenly went wild.

“She started to reveal a side of herself I had not known.

“Leah became unfriendly and hostile. She showed me no love and care. She was also in the habit of complaining and nagging. We hardly enjoyed each other’s company.

“Leah is stubborn and never took to correction because she believed she was always right.

“I lost my peace and derived no joy in our union.

“Leah always went irate any time we had a misunderstanding and would fight me with any dangerous object within her reach.

“I always left home any time she was in a rage because I did not want the blood of another person in my hands.

“I decided to return home no more after the last time we fought.

“She resorted to threatening to kill me after I left home.

“My lord, I pray this honourable court to end our marriage.

“I also request an order restricting her from threatening me and interfering with my private life.”

The court president, Mrs. S.M. Akintayo, after she had heard the plaintiff, ordered that a fresh hearing notice be issued and served on the defendant.

She then adjourned the case until February 2.
(TRIBUNE)

Metro

My Husband Lives A Wretched Life, Drinks, Gambles, Woman Tells Court

Published

5 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Editor

…She’s is free to go —Husband

A woman, Rukaiat, has prayed for the dissolution of her marriage to her husband, Gafar, in a suit she filed at Grade A Customary Court, sitting at Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, on the grounds of irresponsibility, gambling, drunkenness and threat to her life by the latter.

Rukaiat pleaded for the custody of their child, whom, according to her, he had constantly neglected and starved.

She prayed the court to mandate her husband to be responsible for their child’s upkeep.

The plaintiff also sought an order restraining the defendant from threatening her and from interfering with her private life.

Gafar, who was in court the first day the case was mentioned, acceded to divorce.

He also agreed that Rukaiat had custody of their child.

The defendant, however, denied the allegations of irresponsibility, gambling, and drunkenness brought against him.

He, however, failed to show up in court in the subsequent adjourned dates.

Rukaiat in her testimony told the court: “My husband is a drunk and gambler.

“I have had no rest of mind since I moved in with him after he paid my bride price.

“Our marriage is blessed with only a child who my husband found a herculean task taking care of.

“He constantly neglected me and our child and did starve us.

“My husband spent his income mainly on liquor.

“He would drink himself to stupor and stagger home, singing on top of his voice and disturbing our neighbours.

“He also gambles, which is another reason for his wretchedness.

“We fight almost every day because of his inadequacies.

“I moved out of his house after he turned me into a source of ridicule in our compound and neighbourhood.

“He took to threatening me after I left him.

“My husband went as far as hiring thugs who came to my shop to beat me up and destroy my goods.

“My lord, I pray that the court rule that we are no longer husband and wife.

“I also plead for the custody of our only child since my husband has failed in his responsibility towards her.

“I further request an order restricting my husband from threatening me and interfering with my private life.”

The court president, Mrs. S.M. Akintayo, gave her judgement on the matter, stating that the couple obviously had a valid customary marriage and that the bride price was paid.

According to her, the plaintiff had declared that she was no longer interested in their marriage, while the defendant also admitted to divorce.

Akintayo therefore ruled that the plaintiff and defendant ceased to be husband and wife.

She granted the plaintiff custody of their only child and ordered the defendant to be responsible for her upkeep, including feeding, education, and health care.

(TRIBUNE)

Metro

Our Marriage Lacks Love, Please End It, Woman Prays Court

Published

5 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Editor

Area Court sitting at Centre-Igboro, Ilorin, Kwara State, has dissolved the marriage between a couple, Hajara Busari and Mumini Anafi, on the petitioner’s request, following claims of lack of care and love.

While delivering ruling on suit, the presiding judge, Mr Toyin Aluko, held that the respondent had written a letter to the court, agreeing to divorce.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the court, consequently, dissolved the marriage between the parties and ordered the woman to observe one-month Iddah (waiting period) before contracting another marriage.

Meanwhile, the court granted custody of the four-year-old child produced by their marriage to the petitioner, being still in her tender age.

The court ordered that the respondent should pay the sum of N20,000 as monthly allowance for the feeding and maintenance of their child.

He added that he should be responsible for her education and health care. Aluko also held that the father be allowed unrestricted access to the child at reasonable time and should be notified before taking any decision on his child.

The judge ordered the petitioner to get a copy of the judgment and make same available to the respondent.

Earlier, the petitioner told the court that she was no longer interested in her marriage to the respondent, following lack of love and care.