The peace-loving people of Rikkos Community along Liberty Dam has continued to be under siege laid by ELIPSE Industries Nigeria Limited, one of the mining companies owned by Denzel Henry Akogwu, in what can be described as war of attrition and rascality.
The Chief Executive Officer, C.E.O, in a disdainful show of financial wherewithal, has vowed to crush any effort that try to resist his uncouth, unrefined, uncultured and uncivilized approach to human relations toward the community.
It is recalled that trouble only started in the peaceful and serened community when Denzel came with his company.
It’s also recalled that prior to the establishment of ELIPSE Industries Nigeria Limited, three companies namely Ade Bakery Industry Limited, Alasar Nigeria Limited and Wakema Nigeria, have all operated peacefully on the same facility.
Alsar for one, operated for nearly two decades without any recourse to violence, misconduct, intimidation or harassment against the host community.
While Elipse on it’s part started with violence, intimidation, use of force and illegal expansion that is affecting public amenities such as road network.
Since the night the Community was invaded by armed men, it has been helpless after all their relentless efforts to call Denzel order through a written petition to the member representing the Jos North North State Constituency in the Plateau State House of Assembly in order to investigate the attrocities and harassment of the community.
One of the eyesores of Denzel’s high-handedness is the blockage of main road where he has erected a gate and fence built which has make uneasy for motorists, because it’s just by a U-turn, which makes it vulnerable to accidents.
Therefore, a Concerned Group domiciled within the community wrote a petition on the 1st of September 2023, to . express their concerns, worries and way forward (conditions for peaceful coexistence between Elipse and the host community) to the member and copied to the relevant authorities such as the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Commissioner of Police, Plateau state Command, Director, DSS, Human Rights Commission North Central office,Jos,Adagwom Jos Izere, Member representing Jos North West Constituency,Jos East Constituency, State Chairman,Plateau Youth Council (PYC), among others.
However, the concerned member didn’t care to take any action until when he was contacted via a WhatsApp message but responded alleging threat to his personality and office.
The State CID, the Chairman House Committee on Petition, Hon. Isah Madaki Ajiji had all swung into actions by engaging the petitioners in series of meetings while insisting that the petition be withdrawn without minding whether Elipse and Denzel Jos Metropolitan Development Board (JMDB) one of the agency the petition wrote against, have responded or not. In view of this, the Community is still holding fast to their stance for the need to interface with the C.O.E and sign an M.O.U on the Execution and Implementation of his organization’s Corporation Social Responsibilities (CSR) as a part of global best practices as it is also explicitly contained in the Petition.
The Community is appealing to the State Government and all other relevant authorities to prevail on Denzel to see the need for dialogue that will lead to peaceful resolution of the impasse between his organization and the host Community. Plateau State is too fragile to contain with any epidemic let alone a vulnerable community any where in the state; and not to talk of an epidemic from cancerous substance like lead or any mining substance. Therefore, Elipse must put in place all safety measures or standards in the Community to prevent possible outbreak of the unfathomable towards the environment.
Business or any venture does not thrive in the atmosphere of violence, therefore, Elipse and Mr. Denzel must do the needful in order to forestall any eventual breakdown of peace and order!
