Edo Returns Plots To Demolition Victims

Edo Returns Plots To Demolition Victims

The Edo State Government has begun returning thousands of plots of land to residents affected by demolitions at Oke-Oroma Community in Benin, bringing closure to a dispute that lingered for years.

The exercise started on Friday with the issuance of allocation letters to verified property owners.

The decision affects 2,950 plots belonging to about 1,550 people whose homes and structures were pulled down in September 2022 during a land reclamation drive carried out under the previous administration.

The development follows approval by Governor Monday Okpebholo to hand the land back to its rightful owners.

The state Commissioner for Land and Housing, Yakubu Musa, said the government carried out a one-week verification process to confirm genuine ownership before releasing allocation letters.

According to him, the exercise was designed to restore confidence and ensure fairness after the demolitions disrupted lives and livelihoods in the community.

Affected residents gathered at the Ministry of Land and Housing, where their documents were checked before allocations were issued.

Some beneficiaries described the move as a turning point, saying the current administration had kept its word and revived hope after years of uncertainty.

The Oke-Oroma case is linked to earlier demolitions across parts of Benin, including Irhirihi, Arougba, Obazagbon and Ogheghe communities, where more than 100 buildings were pulled down.

Those actions had sparked political tension between the APC and PDP in Edo State, a dispute now eased by the return of the land.