Traditional Rulers Volunteer To Replant Obasanjo’s Burnt Mango Farm
Attorney General and Comm. for Justice Mike Gusa, leading other members of the community on inspection of the burnt farm.
By Prosper Okoye –
The traditional rulers of Howe, Ugee council ward, in Gwer Local Government Area of Benue State, the host community of Obasanjo mango plantation, have unanimously resolved to replant the Mango farm, reported to be gutted by fire, last Saturday.
This resolution was made on Thursday, after the traditional rulers and other prominent indigenes of the community visited the farm, for an on the spot assessment to ascertain the level of damage caused by the fire.
Reacting to the fire incident, the Mue Tei, Ngyenev, Chief Utume Dyu Tali told news men that the actions of the arsonist(s) was bad. “Being denied compensation is not enough reason for them to set the farm on fire. They could have expressed their grievance through appropriate traditional channels, and their demands will be looked at,” he stated.
He adviced community members to remain calm, and assured the former President, Olusegu Obasanjo that all efforts are being made to fish out the pepetrators.”Already the police had arrested some suspects, so that they can clarify the implicative statements they had made and they will face the law if found guilty,” Chief Utume assured.
Chief Tyoshio KaKaan, Kindred head of Mbaabir, where the said farm land is located, appealed that the fire incident should be regarded as an accident. “We are not a party to any request for compensation.” He noted. “We the traditional rulers have resolved to replant the destroyed mango farm; as our show of sympathy to Obasanjo over the fire incident.”
Narrating how the fire had begun, the Assistant Farm Manger, Hon. Tarkese Gowon disclosed that 16,000 stems planted on two-third area of the total farm land, measured at about 139 hecters, was distroyed by the inferno.
Assistant Farm Manger, Hon. Tarkese Gowon
“At about 2pm on the 29th of January, I saw smoke coming up towards the extreme of the farm, so I asked some workers to go and check the cause of the smoke. But before they could get there, coupled with the long time it took for the men of the Federal Fire service to arrive because of the distance from Makurdi, the fire had circulated to other areas of the farm because the atmosphere was windy,” Tarkese narrated.
The assistant farm Manger noted that the fire incidence may not be a case of sabotage; because the farm and the host community had enjoyed cordial relationship since it began production activities in 2019.
“There could be a social factor to the cause of the fire. For instance somebody might have ignorantly dropped a litted cigarrate on the ground after smoking. Or an economic factor. In this case the fire may have been started around a nearby bush for the sake of hunting. We can not say for sure that the fire was started delibrately to destroy the farm.”
Hon. Tarkese however, alleged that the reoccurring antecedents of sudden fire outbreaks inside the farm land which didn’t escalate, “one happened sometime early last year, and another towards the end of December last year;” threats, and court case against the government for land compensation, by some community members could lead to the suspection of a sabotage.
“Speaking as both a community member and a manager in the farm, our people has been relating well with the farm. Because of this farm, our community has been given electricity; 136 workers in the farm are indigenes Howe; and the Government is making plans to solve the water problems we face by digging a dam in the community.
“I have been made councillor in this place, I know my people. All they are talking about is compensation, on a farm that has not started to fully produce, without understanding the legal agreements of the land.”
Tarkase also revealed that the land was given on lease to president Obasanjo.
He said during an effort to broker peace between the community and government, they had come across a Land agreement document, which he described as “untyped and signed ignorantly by our parents” at the Ministry of Lands and Survey, which showed that the land was given to the government on about April 1977, during the Obasanjo Federal Government “Operation Feed The Nation” Agricultural initiative.
He further noted that the agreement read that “the government do not have the right to sell the land, even though the government has the certificate of occupancy of the land. But it can be given on lease for Agricultural purpose, and the host community should benefit from the lease in terms of employment.”Hon. Tarwase noted Governor Samuel Ortom and Some members of the community has pleaded with Obasanjo not to withdraw from the farm. “Baba has a soft mind, he has forgiven. Workers have started receiving their salary for the month, and the water truck vehicle that was bad has been repaired for work to begin again on the farm.”
He pleaded with the state government to negotiate with the aggrieved community members in the interest of peace, and to prevent similar incident from happening in the future.
“From what has happened on this farm, we hope that the government makes efforts to dialogue with aggrieved community members, not only on this land, but also with the other community in Gwer East local government, where about 2,400 hecters of land was also given to Obasanjo for farming.”
Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom had ordered a full scale investigation into the cause of the fire. And had expressed sadness over the incident, in a press statement earlier released by his press secretary, Nathaniel Ikyur.
Meanwhile, a Chief Magistrate court sitting in Makurdi, has remanded 4 suspects on Thursday, 3 Feb. 2022, arrested by the Police for alleged conspiration to burn the Obasanjo Farms.
The Suspects remanded are: 73 years old Retired Deputy Superintendent of Police, DSP Samuel Aleva and a fifty three year old civil servant, Daniel Ortserga with two farmer, Mchia Pius 57 years and Igyo Julius 75 years.
Prosecutor, Sergeant Godwin Ato who arraigned them before the court, over five charges including mischief by fire and Act of Terrorism, said the case was reported by the manager of the farms, who complained that the suspects allegedly conspired and burnt the over eighteen thousand hectare farm comprising of mango trees on the twenty- ninth of last month.
He said the informant complained that the suspects who are all members of Tishambe family, had earlier issued a threat for not being compensated over their land where the farm is situated.
Magistrate Vincent Kor ordered for their remand at the Correctional Services and adjourned the case to twenty- eight next month.
