Delta land feud deepens as factions clash over 1,800 acres
A bitter ownership dispute over about 1,800 acres of ancestral land in Amachai, Okpanam, Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, has escalated into a fierce factional and legal battle, with rival groups trading allegations of land grabbing, intimidation and unlawful interference.
The latest development followed a protest by Group ‘A’ at the Delta State Government House in Asaba, where the protesters petitioned Governor Sheriff Oborevwori over the alleged activities of real estate consultant, Engr. Samuel Morah.
Goddy Simon, Asaba
A bitter ownership dispute over about 1,800 acres of ancestral land in Amachai, Okpanam, Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, has escalated into a fierce factional and legal battle, with rival groups trading allegations of land grabbing, intimidation and unlawful interference.
The latest development followed a protest by Group ‘A’ at the Delta State Government House in Asaba, where the protesters petitioned Governor Sheriff Oborevwori over the alleged activities of real estate consultant, Engr. Samuel Morah.
Led by the Deputy Diopa Isi of Amachai Community, Chief Raymond Egwuogu, the protesters accused Morah of allegedly attempting to take control of the disputed property and using security operatives to intimidate residents.
The petition was received on behalf of the governor by the Director of Protocols, Sunny Onoriode.
But Group ‘B’, comprising community leaders, elders and property owners, has rejected the allegations, insisting that the disputed transaction was lawful and supported by a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), documentary evidence and previous court judgments.
Speaking at a press conference in Asaba, the Secretary of Group ‘B’ and lecturer at Delta State University, Abraka, Dr Joseph Okolie, said the controversy arose from an earlier judicial classification of the community into two groups.
Okolie said an intervention by the Omu of Okpanam subsequently produced an MoU under which previous land sales by both factions were recognised, while the remaining land was apportioned among Amachai’s four villages, with a portion reserved as communal property.
“We are here to debunk that statement categorically because we, members of Group B of Amachai, are all sons and daughters of Amachai, just as they are,” he said.
According to him, the peace arrangement later broke down after Group ‘A’ allegedly denied Group ‘B’ access to its allocated portion of land, leading to litigation in 2012.
According to Okolie, the High Court in Asaba delivered judgment in favour of Group ‘B’ in 2020, with the Court of Appeal subsequently upholding the ruling.
He said the land was sold to Maltek Resources Limited, which subsequently gave Morah a power of attorney to secure and develop the property.
“Engineer Samuel Morah did not fall from heaven. We sold the land to Maltek Resources, and the company gave him a power of attorney to work on its land. There is no basis for the allegation that he is a land grabber,” Okolie said.
He further alleged that contractors working for Maltek Resources had been subjected to harassment and property damage, while petitions had been filed against them before various police authorities, including the Inspector-General of Police and the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 5.
The Group ‘B’ account was supported by Dr Florence Madu, widow of the original purchaser of the property before its transfer to Maltek Resources.
Madu said her late husband had properly documented his interest in the land and subsequently executed a power of attorney authorising Morah to secure and develop the property.
She said the prolonged dispute had taken a toll on her husband’s wellbeing before his death.
“My husband was very transparent and always stood by the truth, but the constant conflict made things extremely difficult,” she said.
Morah, who is at the centre of the allegations, described the protest as an attempt to damage his professional reputation and said he would pursue legal remedies against those he believed had defamed him.
“I am going to do the needful to prosecute whoever has defamed my personality. We will follow due process; we are not going to resort to violence,” he said.
Morah maintained that he was acting under a legitimate mandate from Maltek Resources and that the transaction was a lawful business arrangement.
“I am a Nigerian, born and raised in Delta State. I am a qualified professional acting under a legitimate mandate. This is a lawful business transaction,” he said.
He added that Maltek Resources had issued public notices warning alleged trespassers against entering the disputed 1,800-acre property.
Morah said the company would rely on legal processes and court enforcement rather than force to protect its claimed interest in the land and proceed with its development plans.
The competing claims have deepened tensions within Amachai, turning a longstanding dispute over ancestral ownership, land sales and community control into a broader legal and factional confrontation.
With both sides relying on competing interpretations of community agreements, land transactions and court decisions, the dispute now appears set to move further into the legal arena as the parties seek to establish their respective claims to the expansive property.
