Land Grab: Edo widow alleges conversion of her land to burial ground

A60-year-old widow, Esther Aimhekagbon, has accused a man, Uzama Osaretin-Alexander, of converting her land into a burial ground

Ms Aimhekagbon made the allegation on Thursday when she appeared before the Edo State Private Properties Protection Committee, headed by Justice Alero Edodo-Eruaga (retd.).

The sexagenarian told the committee that she bought the land with her late husband’s pension benefit. She said she was surprised that Mr Osaretin-Alexander went there to bury people on the land

“I bought my land measuring 50/100 in Egor Community in 2001 only to be alerted by a neighbour that a grave was being dug in the land few years after. Later in the evening, I was there and witnessed as the respondent brought in a corpse and buried it on the land.

“This happened in 2016, making it two corpses that the respondent had buried on the land. He had earlier buried a woman. I learnt this latest one was the daughter of that woman,” Ms Aimhekagbon said.

She said she knew the respondent “very well that he cannot deny it.”

The widow pleaded with the committee to help her recover the land, which, she said, was bought with her late husband’s death benefit paid to her children by NITEL.

Responding, Mr Osaretin-Alexander denied the allegation of having buried corpses in the petitioner’s land. He said he had nothing to do with the land and denied meeting Ms Aimhekagbon.

The committee had directed an investigative police team to visit the land to verify the petitioner’s claim.

Meanwhile, the petitioner further said her vendor, Reuben Ogiegor, died shortly after transferring the land to her but said that her witnesses were alive.

The case was adjourned until July 8.