The Delta State Government has once again stressed that community leaders and local authorities must ensure no one collects any form of development fee, commonly known as “Deve fee,” at construction sites across the state.
Speaking on Saturday, the Director General of the Delta State Orientation and Communications Bureau, Dr. Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to enforcing existing laws that ban such illegal collections in all 25 local government areas.
He explained that “Deve fee” has been officially outlawed under the *Delta State Public and Private Properties Protection Law of 2018*, which clearly prohibits the imposition of any levies or fees at construction sites — including the 10% charge on land sales often referred to as a “Deve fee.”
Speaking as a guest on Ritz FM Radio Warri’s public affairs talk show on Saturday, Dr. Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe noted that the state law imposes strict penalties on offenders, including up to two years in prison, a fine of one million naira, or both. He added that acts such as forceful entry, assault on workers, and trespassing on construction sites are also prohibited under the law.
Oghenesivbe explained that the state government’s objective is to build a safe and investor-friendly environment, as illegal collections can discourage development and investment. He emphasized that Delta State is making significant progress under the leadership of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.
He further urged victims of illegal levy collection to report such cases to the nearest police station so offenders can be prosecuted and others deterred. He cited a recent case in Osubi where a court sentenced four individuals to jail for engaging in illegal revenue collection.
On a different note, responding to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s labeling of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged persecution of Christians, Dr. Oghenesivbe — a full member of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) — praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his pragmatic and results-driven leadership, as well as his firm commitment to ending insurgency and terrorism in Nigeria.
The Director General of the Bureau of Communications stressed the importance of the Federal Government engaging in diplomatic dialogue with the Trump administration to clarify the actual situation regarding killings in Northern Nigeria, highlight the genuine efforts being made, and showcase the progress achieved so far.
Dr. Oghenesivbe also called for a comprehensive approach to strengthening border security, including the adoption of AI-powered surveillance and the modernization of immigration operations. He emphasized the need to curb irregular migration, improve intelligence gathering through real-time monitoring of land and air borders, and enhance overall national security to protect the lives of all Nigerians, regardless of religion or ethnicity.
He, however, pointed out that the number of Christians reportedly killed in Nigeria compared to the global figure presented by the U.S. government is alarming and should be a serious concern, calling for more decisive action from the Federal Government.
Dr. Oghenesivbe revealed that, according to 2025 data from the internationally recognized NGO *Open Doors International* in its *World Watch List*, out of 4,476 Christians killed worldwide for faith-related reasons, 3,100 — about 69% — were Nigerians. He stressed that urgent steps must be taken to ensure that neither Christians nor Muslims are unjustly killed anywhere in the country moving forward.
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