Tensions have escalated in Delta State as Itsekiri leaders from Abigborodo, Obotie, and Ugbekoko communities have strongly condemned what they describe as a campaign of falsehood orchestrated by the leadership of the Sapele Okpe Community in collaboration with SEPLAT Energy.

In a hard-hitting press statement issued by Hon. Misan Ukubeyinje and Mr. Victor Atseponu of the Abigborodo Management Committee, the Itsekiri leaders accused SEPLAT of siding with the Sapele Okpe Community to frustrate their legitimate claims as host communities to the company’s operations.

Allegations Against SEPLAT and Sapele Okpe Community

The leaders criticized SEPLAT for allegedly attempting to prevent a crucial investigation into their land claims by fabricating security concerns to halt a fact-finding visit. They claimed that rather than remaining neutral, SEPLAT openly sided with the Sapele Okpe and Ugbukurusu communities.

“A night before the visit, SEPLAT and the Sapele Okpe Community concocted intelligence reports of possible armed conflict to prevent the committee’s visit. When this failed, SEPLAT avoided the joint visit altogether, choosing instead to accompany Sapele Okpe leaders on their own separate trip, clearly showing bias,” the statement alleged.

The Itsekiri communities further accused the Sapele Okpe leadership, including Chief Onoriode Temiagin and Mr. Azan Friday, of engaging in character assassination against notable figures such as the Alema of Warri, High Chief Emmanuel Oritsejolomi Uduaghan, and Chief Edwin Uzor, the Special Adviser to the Delta State Governor on Peace Building and Conflict Resolution.

Historical Land Disputes and Claims of Encroachment

The Itsekiri leaders dismissed claims by the Sapele Okpe Community regarding ownership of the contested lands, pointing to official government documents and legal rulings that back their position.

“All issues surrounding the Okpe Sobo Forest Reserve were settled and gazetted in the Delta State Government White Paper No. 1 of 2021. The Sapele Okpe Community has no land in the reserve, yet they continue to lay false claims,” they stated.

They emphasized that their communities—Abigborodo, Obotie, and Ugbekoko—have been the rightful host communities to SEPLAT’s operations, including its jetty, flow stations, oil wells, and new drilling sites.

The leaders of Ugbekoko Community also weighed in, challenging the Sapele Okpe Community’s claim over Ugbekoko land, arguing that simply building a market there does not equate to ownership.

“This is their stock-in-trade—using any means possible to claim land. But their illegal incursion, backed by SEPLAT, will be resisted within the bounds of the law,” said Henry Mabamue, Chairman of Ugbekoko Community Management Committee.

Calls for Governor Oborevwori to Disregard False Claims

The Itsekiri leaders urged Delta State Governor Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori to ignore the “baseless cries” of the Sapele Okpe Community, reaffirming their confidence in the Special Adviser on Peace Building and Conflict Resolution, Chief Edwin Uzor.

“The governor is a father to all Deltans, not just the Okpe people. He should not be dragged into this petty tribal dispute by those who seek to manipulate the truth,” they stated.

They also accused SEPLAT of engaging in divisive tactics to suppress their legitimate recognition as host communities, vowing to resist any further attempts to sideline them.

Obotie Community Also Speaks Out

Echoing similar sentiments, leaders of Obotie Community denounced what they described as “horrifying distortions and cheap blackmail” by the Sapele Okpe and Ugbukurusu communities.

In a statement signed by prominent elders, including Pa Simeon Brikinn and Engr. Samuel Atiwe, the Obotie leaders criticized Chief Onoriode Temiagin’s press briefing as “a crass display of ignorance and deliberate misinformation.”

“The government’s White Paper on the Okpe Sobo Forest Reserve clearly states that multiple communities, not just Sapele Okpe, have historical claims to the area. Their continued falsehoods are an attempt to rewrite history,” they said.

They also accused the Sapele Okpe Community of working hand-in-hand with SEPLAT to sideline Obotie from benefiting from oil operations in their land.

A Fight for Recognition and Justice

The Itsekiri leaders made it clear that they would not be intimidated by the alleged conspiracy between SEPLAT and the Sapele Okpe Community.

“We have fought and survived previous aggressions, and we will continue to defend our ancestral lands using every legal means available. No amount of blackmail or intimidation will change the facts,” they declared.

The communities reaffirmed their commitment to peaceful resolution through due process while warning that any further encroachment on their land would be met with stiff resistance.

As tensions simmer, all eyes are now on Governor Oborevwori and his administration to ensure justice prevails in the ongoing land dispute between the Itsekiri and Okpe communities.