The Ovwere Family in Ekpan, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State has urged Archbishop God-do-Well Avwomakpa to stop blackmailing Chief Kestin Pondi over land ownership, alleging that the cleric forged deeds to claim their land.

The family was reacting to the recent claimed by the Founder of Christ Missionaries Crusaders Church, that Chief Pondi trespassed and illegally acquired his land.

According to the aggrieved family, Chief Pondi, the Managing Director, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL), bought land from them opposite NNPC Housing Complex Main Gate in Ekpan Community.

The duo of Daniel Orogho and William Ovwurie, who spoke on behalf of their family at an elaborate press conference in Warri, however, told newsmen that Avwomakpa lied to the public by his claims.

Recall that the Avwomakpa in a media briefing accused Chief Pondi of illegally acquiring his land located at opposite NNPC Housing Complex Main Gate in Ekpan Community.

The cleric in a save-my-soul message to Oborevwori and Ekpemupolo accused Pondi of alleged trespassed and illegal acquisition of a portion of land belonging to his Church located opposite NNPC Housing Complex Main Gate, Ekpan.

To set the record straight, the family said that they are the landlord to Avwomakpa and other land owners in the areas adding that the cleric was the one actually trespassing and acquiring its natural heritage illegally.

The family accused the Avwomakpa of being dishonest and blackmailing the Tantita boss for pecuniary gains.

They, however, appealed to the Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo and members of the public to ignore Avwomakpa’s calls for help, describing his pleas as “rantings by a frustrated land grabber.”

They further described the calls by Avwomakpa for intervention by Oborevwori, Ekpemupolo and the public as an “emotional blackmail by the cleric who is the oppressor in the unfolding drama.”

The family said It sold land to Avwomakpa in the same manner it sold different land to Pondi at opposite NNPC Housing Complex Main Gate, in Ekpan.

It accused the cleric of exhibiting unbridled expansionist tendencies by acquiring and surveying the land he did not purchase abinitio in a desperate selfish bid to gain all lands in the neighbourhood of his Church.

“Avwomakpa actually bought 2.024 acres of land in 2,000. He later went ahead to forge and manipulate deeds of conveyance and survey plans to lay claims to the ownership of 4.304 Acres within the vicinity of his Church.

“As at now, Avwomakpa has illegally acquired 2.280 Acres in addition to 2,024 Acres marked as Area A which he legitimately got from the family in year 2000.

“The land legitimately acquired by Pondi from the family is among those Avwomakpa has illegally claimed through fraudulent deeds and survey,” they said.

Backing its claims with Deeds of conveyance, survey plans and relevant court documents, the family said it was conscious of the nefarious antics of Avwomakpa, in which the cleric had illegally acquired and surveyed its land marked Areas B, C and D within the environment of his Church.

They, however, accused Avwomakpa of forging the signatures of deceased leaders of the family to generate fresh deeds of conveyance in 2007 to justify the acquisition of the fraudulent 2.280 Acres, in Area B, which the family neither offered to him for sale nor sold to him.