Delta Community Accuses Royal Family of Land-Grabbing

Owa-Oyibo community has staged a protest against what they allege is the illegal sale of ancestral lands by their traditional ruler and members of the royal household.

Residents of Owa-Oyibo, a town in the Agbor area of Delta State, accuse the Obi of Owa Kingdom, His Royal Majesty Emmanuel Efeizomor II, of overseeing the sale of communal and private lands without the consent of local landowners.

The demonstrators led by Hon. Nkeki Uzor Benson, a former councillor and current chairman of the Owa-Oyibo Development Initiative, called the move a betrayal of the people’s trust.

“We can no longer keep quiet,” Mr Nkeki told reporters at a press conference in the state capital, Asaba. “Our ancestral lands, which have sustained generations, are being sold to wealthy investors while our people remain in poverty.”

The petition submitted by the community also names the monarch’s sons, Prince Amos and Prince Bright Efeizomor along with three close associates; Chief Amos Agbogwu, Barrister Raymond Isitor, and Princess Helen Efeizomor. The group is accused of facilitating land sales for personal enrichment.

Mr Nkeki said the community had endured years of intimidation and silence, with many afraid to speak out against the influential royal family.

“This is not just about land,” he said. “It is about justice and the future of our children. If this is happening under the current leadership, what will the next generation inherit?”

He alleged that farmland is being converted into luxury estates, with the original landowners seeing no benefit.

The protesters have now submitted a formal petition to the Governor of Delta State, Sheriff Francis Oborevwori, and the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Emomotimi Guwor.

Mr Nkeki said the Speaker acknowledged receipt and promised to escalate the matter. But the group warned that they may take their protest to the National Assembly in Abuja and even approach foreign embassies, including those of the US, UK, and France, if their concerns are not addressed.

There has been no official response yet from the monarch or the individuals named in the petition.