The chairman of Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State, Hon. Abdulmalik Suleiman Afegbua, has accused Dangote Group of engaging in double standard capable of placing the security and socio-economic life of Okpella, a community in the area, in grave danger.
Afegbua, in a statement made available to newsmen yesterday, also accused a traditional ruler in the area, the Okuokpellagbe of Okpella Kingdom, Alhaji (Dr) A.Y.E. Dirisu, of working hand-in-hand with Dangote Group against the interest of the community, after the company published a letter written by the Okuokpellagbe in advertorials placed in various newspapers.
Specifically, he accused the monarch of alleged illegal acquisition of limestone deposit in the heart of Okpella without obtaining the consent of the community, stating that the consequence of this action is the lingering legal tussle between the community on the one side and Alhaji Ado Ibrahim/Dangote Group on the other.
He noted further that “with complete disregard for territorial integrity of Okpella and the dangers inherent in such action, Alhaji Ado Ibrahim transferred the consent to Dangote.”
As stated by him, this “controversial consent is now being guarded jealously by Dangote on Okpella soil.
“It should be recalled that it was his agents who came to work on the site of mineral deposit in Okpella and were eventually prevented from doing so by highly respected chiefs of the community. These are High Chief Joshua Ogene and Prince Bombay Afegbua.”
He stated further that senior Okpella citizens had been charged to a Lokoja High Court in Kogi State for various offences “while it is left for the court to determine whether Okpella is now in Kogi or Edo State. It is becoming embarrassing and provocative for the counsel to Dangote Group to argue in court that the disputes in Okpella now fall in Okene jurisdiction.”
Dangote, he said, cannot claim to have a letter of consent to do business in Okpella from the Okuekpellagbe and yet insist that the huge limestone deposit belongs to Okene, noting that the boundary between Edo and Kogi states cannot be redrawn.
Afegbua further asserted that “rather than seek genuine business in Okpella, Dangote’s sole mission is to destabilize hitherto investments of BUA Group in the community regardless of the impacts,” adding that this could trigger serious security problems that will affect the entire community.
He, therefore, advised that Dangote should not consider any investment option in Okpella for now as “his action so far poses threat to peace and security of the community.”