AGENE GODWIN, Benin
Following the recent clash between the Okpella community in Edo State and the Okenne in Kogi state over ownership of the land housing the BUA Cement Company, the chairman of Etsako East local government, Hon Suleiman Afegbua, has appealed to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Director General of State Security Services (SSS) to call the Ado Ibrahim of Okenne and Alhaji Aliko Dangote to order. Suleiman said the appeal became necessary following report which indicates that Dangote and the Ado Ibrahim have both employed the services of some youths to cause mayhem in Okpella community ‘just for selfish reasons.’
Briefing newsmen in Benin, the council chairman said: “The situation is that, Dangote in conjunction with Ado Ibrahim is now threatening the peace of Okpella and if not nipped now, it may escalate into Kogi and Edo States fighting. Already, there is serious tension brewing between the two communities of Okpella and Okenne. “There is a misconception, Dangote has not sited any company in Okpella, it is BUA that has commenced operations, which started full operations about five months ago. The coming of BUA is threatening the cement prospect of Dangote in Nigeria. Dangote had for long monopolized cement in this country, before now cement sold for N2,000 to N2,500 but now that BUA is here, cement is now sold for N1,500. This is the kind of competition we want, not monopolistic ones by Dangote. “We have no issues with the Okunmagbe of Okpella, our problem is with Ado Ibrahim of Okenne and Dangote. “Dangote and Ado Ibrahim are against the people of Okpella. These are the same people who took us, the Okpella, to court, on Friday last, we were in court in Okenne. Dangote and Ado Ibrahim who encroached into Okpella land came to arrest our prominent chiefs for kidnapping those who went to the site to stop Dangote workers from encroachment into Okpella land.”
