AGOSA OROGHO – (ORHIONMWON) Agosa Orogho Community in Orhionmwon Local Government Area, Edo State has decried what it described as extortion of its citizens by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Jesse Community of Delta State.
Speaking to newsmen on behalf of the people of the community, one Charles Eghaghe alleged that the DPO of Jesse Commmunity has connived with the people of Eboropolo Commmunity in Delta State to extort them in the guise of enforcing the COVID19 lockdown in Agosa-Orogho Community.
Eghaghe alleged that in the first place, Eboropolo Community in Delta State has no land boundary with Agosa-Orogho Community located in Edo State and therefore sees no reason people of Eboropolo would leave their Delta Community to enforce a lockdown order in Edo Community without the support of the DPO in Jesse.
According to him Eghaghe, “I want to use this opportunity to tell our Edo State government about what is happening and how the DPO in Jesse is conniving with some people in Eboropolo in Ethiope to enforce the lockdown order in Agosa-Orogho.
“Agosa-Orogho is in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State and not in Delta State.
“They are also using the lockdown to extort money from our people. They have sized the machines belonging to our people and taken them to Jesse police station,” he alleged.
He said the alleged enforcement of the lockdown order by the Eboropolo people in an Edo Community is a deliberate ploy to encroach into Agosa-Orogho land, which, if not nipped in the bud, might snowball into a full blown communal clash.
The community leader who expressed sactisfaction with the way and manner the Edo State government is addressing the COVID19 pandemic through enforcement of the partial lockdown order, also urged the State government to wade-in to the brewing crisis and call those behind it to order.
He also beckoned on the Delta State government to call the people of Eboropolo Community to order, noting that the natural boundary of the two neighbouring States is River Ethiope.
He therefore called on the Delta State Commissioner of Police to call the DPO of Jesse to stop being a tool in the hands of the people of Eboropolo Community in order for peace to reign in both communities.
Contacted, the Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, Chidi Nwanbuzo noted that it was not in his jurisdiction to comment and therefore referred journalists to his Delta State counterpart.
Contacted also, the Public Relations Officer of the Delta State Police Command, DSP Onome Onovwakpoyeya said that upon her findings, she discovered that the police officers were actually in the Edo community at the early stage of the implementation of the lockdown in Delta.
She quoted the DPO as saying that “Some weeks ago they did, but recently I am not too sure.”
She assured that senior police officers would keep an eye on the Police personnel to ensure the act of going outside their jurisdiction is stopped.
