Task Force in Edo Arrest Bini Chief for Flouting Law Banning CDAs

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

For allegedly flouting a law prohibiting the activities of Community Development Associations (CDAs), a Benin Chief and Ohen of Amufi in Ikpoba-Okha local government area of Edo state has been arrested by the Committee on Protection of Private Property.

Chief Aosenogian was arrested after he failed to appear before the committee led by former Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, following allegation that he was disrupting development in the community by frustrating the effort of a developer who wanted to construct 400 housing units in the community.

Addressing journalists at Government House Benin City recently, the Secretary of the Committee and Special Adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Community and Political Matters, Chief Osaro Idah, said “Irrespective of the fact that the suspect is a fellow chief, his arrest was ordered because he flouted the law”.

According to him, certain people do not comply with the state law which allows the committee to investigate anyone who is disrupting development and who is still involving himself with the defunct CDA.

“Now a certain company (developers) came to Edo state and wanted to acquire land for the construction of 400 housing units, but they were disrupted by community heads of the CDA. We invited the people involved but to our greatest surprise the leaders of that community did not only insult our emissaries, they threw the letter sent to them on the floor.”

Idah further said, “So since somebody says we do not have powers to invite him because he is above the law, we have invited the police to arrest him and investigate the matter. After the investigation we will now come back to look at the issue of who owns the land. We want to use this opportunity to say nobody is above the law to refuse the invitation of this committee.”