A mango plantation reportedly owned by former President Olusegun Obasanjo has been razed by suspected hoodlums in the Howe community, Gwer East Local Government Area of Benue State.
According to reports, the 140 hectares farm was burnt following possible disagreements with the locals over compensation for the land which was originally owned by the state government.
The farmland called Orcha Farm was set ablaze on Saturday.
A resident of the community, who spoke with our correspondent on the inferno, alleged that the Orcha Farm had existed in the community without compensation from the ex-president.
According to him, “If you trace the incident properly, it may not be far from residents that are angry over move by the farm management to ignore the host community.
“There has not been any Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) from Obasanjo’s farm, so, such a crisis should be expected. The people are poor and want a good life”.
Confirming the fire incident, the Director of the State Fire Service, Donald Ikyaaza, stated that his men deployed to the area during the incident, were able to put off the fire.
He also confirmed that there are indications that the people were fighting for compensation for their land.
According to him, “maybe the land was not adequately compensated for, so that’s why they decided to set fire on the farmland. That is the only information I received from my men who went to the scene,”
The Gwer East Local Government Chairman, Emmanuel Ortserga, who also confirmed the incident said the fire was a deliberate act by hoodlums.
Ortserga added that four persons have been arrested in connection with the fire while investigations were still on to apprehend more culprits.
He said, “The fire on the 139 hectares farm was started at about 2 pm on Saturday by hoodlums and nearly half of it is gone. It was clearly a sabotage.
“It was strange that there was a fire outbreak in the farm because the farm was properly safeguarded, so it was obvious that it was sabotage.
“We summoned a meeting of stakeholders and leaders over the matter in order to fish out the perpetrators and by the grace of God we have already apprehended four persons and investigation is still ongoing to fish out more culprits.”
The Director of the State Fire Service, Donald Ikyaaza, and the Police Public Relations Officer, SP, Catherine Anene also confirmed the incident.
