By Lucky Efese / Mercy Onyenweli
A Benin born Lagos based businessman, Chief Francis Aghedo, on Thursday, March 13 2025, has enforced the execution of court judgement on his land measuring 500ft by 600ft after 10 years of legal tussle .
The land which was alleged to have been sold by Chief Iwin and some youth of Obah Village in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of Edo State, to unsuspecting members of the public was officially sealed with a warning for illegal occupants to vacate the land with immediate effect.
It was alleged that one Chief Iwin and some youths of Obah Village had deliberately encroached on the said land , selling it to unsuspecting members of the public who had subsequently erected buildings thereon, consequent upon which he, Chief Aghedo approached the High Court of Benin to seek redress, and a judgement was delivered in his favour recently.
Meanwhile, in exercise of the enforcement of the execution of the said judgement on Suit No. B/822/2022, the Chief bailiff of the court in company of Chief Francis Aghedo and some journalists, went to the land to seal up the landed property and pasted the judgement on buildings on the Land. as a stern warning to the illegal occupants.
Speaking about the development, Chief Francis Aghedo said that he legitimately purchased the said land from Enogie of Obazagbon who doubles as both the administrative and traditional head that oversees the day to day administration of the three villages which includes ,Obah, Obazagbon and Obadolovbiyi .
He further said that no sooner he bought the said land, then, he took possession unencumbered by surveying the entire land, saying he was shock to see completed and uncompleted building structures on the land, a development which influenced his decision to approach competent court of law to get justice.
Having received the judgement, the Court ballif had to issue the notice by pasting the court judgement documents on the buildings to enable the owners who are disposed to negotiation to open talks with the owner as failure to do so would enable him confiscate the buildings.
Aghedo who expressed concerns over the attitude of land grabbing by some unscrupulous elements in the society for financial gratification, however exudes confidence in ability of the judiciary to ameliorate the plights of land owners, insisting, land grabbing has traumatised so many property developers, just as he has also advised those whose lands have been taken from them to approach court with competent documents to seek redress since it is the last hope of the common man, just as the defaulted elders and youths of Obah Village, were shocked on the action arising from the execution of the court judgement
Aghedo however, urged the members of the public to disregard whatever insinuations the enforcement of court judgement might cause, saying the action of Chief Iwin and some youths is criminal in nature, while appealing to Oba of Benin and the governor to impose stiffer penalties on land grabbers.