Akpoma Community Celebrates As Court Dismisses 14-Year Land Dispute ~ Truth Reporters

Residents of Akpoma Village in Issele-Azagba, Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State, erupted in celebration following the dismissal of a land dispute that had lingered in court for more than 14 years.

The High Court sitting in Akwukwu-Igbo struck out a suit filed by the Ogbeozoma Quarter of Okpanam, which sought to set aside a consent judgment entered in favour of the Akpoma Quarter of Issele-Azagba in 2012. The ruling effectively brings to an end a prolonged legal battle over ownership of the disputed land.

To mark the victory, elders, youths, landlords and other residents gathered at the site of the disputed land for a thanksgiving celebration. The event featured prayers, traditional dances and the firing of 50 cannon shots in jubilation.

The site manager of the land, Mr. Chike Amaeze, led the community in prayers before the celebrations commenced.

Speaking on behalf of the community, spokesman Mr. Kanayo Nwachukwu, who was accompanied by the Secretary of the Akpoma Land Committee, Mr. Festus Arinze, described the court's decision as a divine vindication and the end of years of legal uncertainty.

According to him, the community had endured more than a decade of litigation after obtaining a consent judgment in 2012, with the Ogbeozoma Quarter of Okpanam repeatedly approaching different courts in an effort to overturn the judgment.

"We have come to thank God for this victory. This litigation has lasted for over 14 years, but today the High Court sitting in Akwukwu-Igbo has struck out the case, bringing this long legal battle to an end," he said.

Nwachukwu noted that the consent judgment had remained valid since 2012 despite several attempts to challenge it, adding that the latest ruling reaffirmed the legal position of the Akpoma Quarter of Issele-Azagba.

He also cautioned members of the public against purchasing plots of land from individuals or groups without a lawful title to the property.

"We want to advise prospective buyers to exercise caution. Anyone buying land from those who have no legal ownership does so at his or her own risk. The court has spoken, and we believe the matter has now been conclusively settled," he stated.

The Akpoma land has remained a major source of dispute between the Issele-Azagba community in Aniocha North Local Government Area and the Ogbeozoma Quarter of Okpanam in Oshimili North Local Government Area, attracting the attention of government authorities and security agencies over the years.

With the latest ruling, members of the Akpoma community expressed confidence that the prolonged legal contest has finally been laid to rest and called for lasting peace in the area.