Abigborodo, Obotie and Ugbekoko are host communities, Itsekiri leaders tell SEPLAT

**Say Oil Company Has Engaged Sapele Okpe Community To Frustrate Innocuous Claims

***Disown Sapele Okpe Community

****Urge Oborevwori to Ignore Sapele Okpe Community leaders

****Call Him Father Of All Deltans and Tribes In Delta State

****Accuse Onoriode Temiagin, Azan Friday of character assassination, falsehood

****Label Uduaghan revered, progressive chief

****Insist Chief Edwin Uzor doing the right thing

*****Vow to resist illegal incursion

Syndicated Report 

Community leaders in Delta State on Friday denounced the new height of perfidy in the Niger Delta region.

‘’Leaders of the Sapele Okpe Community recently embarked on a campaign of name calling and misinformation’’

They also accused the Sapele Okpe community leaders of concocting lies about the Alema of Warri, High Chief Emmanuel Oritsejolomi Uduaghan and the Special Adviser to the Delta State Governor on Peace Building and Conflict Resolution, Chief Edwin Uzor.

‘’ Their reference to the Alema of Warri, an administrative chief of Abigborodo, Ugbekoko and several riverine communities in Warri North and Sapele Local Government Area, Chief Emmanuel Oritsejolomi Uduaghan, is defamatory and grossly disrespectful’’.

In a response to the vicious campaign of falsehood of Chief Onoriode Temiagin, Mr Azan Friday and other members of the Sapele Okpe and Ugbukurusu Communities, the notable Itsekiri leaders described the calls for the removal of the Special Adviser to the governor of Delta State on Peace Building and Conflict Resolution by the Sapele Okpe Community as baseless.

‘’A night to the visit to locus in quo, SEPLAT energy in collaboration with the Sapele Okpe Community concocted a narrative of false claim of intelligence that there might be armed conflict with a view of preventing the visit of the committee to cover up the obvious facts. When they failed in that ploy, SEPLAT decided to avoid the joint visit. Instead of acting neutral in this investigation, they are fully in league with the Sapele Okpe and Ugbukurusu communities as they were seen in a sea truck boat belonging to SEPLAT together, even when the takeoff point of the visit was well communicated and it was Abigborodo Jetty and the area of investigation is the SEPLAT DREDGING SITE, the communities of Abigborodo, Obotie and other surrounding communities and SEPLAT operational base. This visit by the investigation committee could be done with or without parties. They may even choose not to visit and rely on the visitation report of DSS and the inter-ministerial investigation committee that had physically visited. No matter how it is seen, the visitation had all parties and could not be labeled as biased’’.

The Itsekiri leaders in a press statement issued by the Chairman and Secretary of Abigborodo Management Committee, Hon Misan Ukubeyinje, ESQ and Mr Victor Atseponu in Abigborodo accused the Sapele Okpe Community leaders of trying to cause confusion and breakdown of law and order in Delta State.

‘’All issues surrounding the Okpe Sobo forest reserve have been settled, and the decisions have been gazetted in Government White Paper Official Document No. 1 of 2021. Their claim of incursion into the forest reserve is baseless as they have no land in the reserve. However, what is in contention here is the area of Operations of SEPLAT particularly the new area of drilling which the state peace building and conflict resolution is investigating. What is the Business of Sapele Okpe Community in the riverine areas bordering Abigborodo, Obotie and Ugbekoko communities? It is also unbelievable that Ugbukurusu which is over 15 kilometers away is laying claim of ownership in Areas of land in Abigborodo, land surrounded by Abigborodo, Obotie, Ugbekoko and Aja-Okotie’’.

The notable Itsekiri leaders urged the Executive Governor of Delta State to ignore and discountenance the false cry of wolves by the Sapele Okpe Community.

‘’We as a community, the bonafide owner of the land and Host Community to SEPLAT WEST LTD by all intents and purposes are prepared and ready for any other visit as the features, land, water and distance of our community to SEPLAT remain constant and we know the result of all visitation and even subsequent visitation to the Area in contention will remain the same, come rain or sun’’.

They also urged the Governor of Delta State and all well-meaning Deltans to disregard the content of the press statement of the Sapele Okpe Community and allow the investigation of Chief Edwin Uzor, the Special Adviser on Peace Building and Conflict Resolution and his team to do their job without fear, favour or interference.

‘’Abigborodo community from time immemorial are owners of land covering Area of operations of Seplat including Ugbekoko Community housing Seplat jetty, several oil wells, the flow stations and virtually all the drilling locations of SEPLAT WEST LIMITED. The Abigborodo Community had made several entreaties to SEPLAT to be recognized as Host Community all to no avail. While the agitation was ongoing, SEPLAT decided to enter into other areas of our land to commence preparation for new oil wells. We brought it to the notice and urged them to recognize us as the Host Community and stop the illegal trespass into our land. In response, SEPLAT claimed we are the only impacted community, not the Host Community. Upon our refusal to accept the impacted community unknown to the Petroleum necessitated, our consequent action”

Similarly, leadership of Ugbekoko Community of Delta State at the weekend said the defence being put up by the Chairman of Sapele Okpe Community, Chief Onoriode Temiagin that Ugbekoko land belongs to Sapele Okpe Community because of a market built there lacked merit.

‘’This is the stock in trade to claim land by any means. Their illegal incursion into our land with the connivance of SEPLAT will be resisted forcefully within the ambit of the laws of our land’’

The leadership of Ugbekoko community in a statement said virtually all petroleum upstream operations of SEPLAT Sapele West Limited were in Ugbekoko land.

‘’This includes the flow station, jetty, well heads, pipeline and the new drilling site subject of the investigation arising from protests of Abigborodo, Obotie and Ugbekoko communities’’.

The statement signed by Henry Mabamue, Chairman, Sunday Omalor, Secretary and Rieco Tsoluwa, Public Relations Officer of Ugbekoko Community Management Committee challenged the claim of bias raised by the Sapele Okpe Community on the visit to the locus in quo by the Chief Edwin Uzor led committee.

‘’The leadership of Sapele Okpe, Ugbukurusu and representatives of SEPLAT were together in a sea truck boat during the visit. They deliberately decided to go on their own voyage. Their request for the removal of Chief Uzor and his team is a ploy to cow the investigation panel and call on the involvement of the Executive Governor of Delta State to their favour against the truth’’.

The leaders urged the Delta State Governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori to ignore calls by the Sapele Okpe and Ugbukurusu communities for the removal of Chief Edwin Uzor and his team.

‘’They never wanted the panel to visit and see for themselves the true state of affairs. We as a community are ready and prepared to be part of any other visit that may be scheduled in the course of this investigation’’.

Particularly, the leaders threw back the challenge at the Sapele Okpe Community to check its records and be specific on the Okpe Sobo Forest Reserve.

‘’The Sapele Okpe Community do not have any land in the Okpe Sobo forest reserve as the 1,200 hectares cutout released to them sold by them to CEDDI Corporation Limited. The said Judicial Commission of Enquiry found out that CEDDI Corporation Limited attempted to lay claim in excess of the 1,200 hectares by another 760.63 hectares vide a gazette legal Notice No 18 of 2005 purporting to amend the survey description in DSLN of 1999 which de reserved 1,200 hectares to Sapele Okpe Community. This was done in tacit connivance of the people/leadership of Sapele Okpe Community.

According to Ugbekoko leaders, the said judicial commission of enquiry found and made pronouncement on the failure of the oil companies operating in Ugbekoko land to pay royalties to Ugbekoko Community, the owners of the land.

‘’This raises the question, having ceded all lands given to them, where lies claim of lands in and around the forest reserves by the Sapele Okpe Community? The Judicial Commission of Enquiry actually mandated the state Peace Building and Conflict Resolution and the State Advisory Council to investigate the matter. From the decision of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Okpe Sobo Forest Reserve contained in the white paper, the visitation of Chief Edwin Uzor led peace building and conflict resolution team is legally authorized to carry out the investigation even without the prompting of any interested party be it SEPLAT or Abigborodo Community’’.

The leaders said ‘’the existence of Ugbekoko predates the advent of the Okpe Sobo forest reserve referred to then as the Ukpe Sobo native administration Reserve Constituted by Order No 33 of 1933 during the rule of the British administration in Nigeria’’.

‘’We are descendants of Aribiowu from IFON who migrated to the farm and found the Ekoko Farm fertile enough. The said farm was given to him by the Abigborodo people through a lease agreement dated 24th May 1913 executed by Pa Edun and Okomama on behalf of Abigborodo Community. When Ugbekoko was forcefully included in the Okpe Sobo Forest reserve without the notice of our fore-fathers and the Abigborodo people, the head lessors, it was the effort of Chief Okonedo, the then Alema of Warri who engaged the British Administration with several letters that caused the release from the forest reserve by the Delta State Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Okpe Sobo forest reserve and given effect to by the Delta State Government in the consequential white paper’’.

They also stressed the efforts of their landlords that tremendously assisted in the discharge of farmers arrested and charged to court for farming on the forest reserve without authority of the administration of the forest reserve.

‘’We further state that the Delta State Judicial Commission of Enquiry investigated the case of force and legal encroachment of Ugbekoko land by the Sapele Okpe Community and indeed Oton people”

In the same vein, top leaders of the Obotie Community on Monday denounced the contention made recently by the Sapele Okpe and Ugbukurusu communities in Delta State.

‘’The Government white paper on the report of judicial panel of enquiry into the Okpe Urhobo (Okpe Sobo) Forest Reserve and other ancillary matter relating to deserved portion(s) and encroachment, the panel held that Sapele Okpe Community claim of the ownership of the Okpe Urhobo (Ukpe Sobo) Forest Reserve cannot be substantiated as several communities were living in the Area prior to its constitution and some of these communities were not of Sapele Okpe extraction and they exercised acts of ownership over the land they occupied’’.

They also condemned the horrifying distortions of the exploration area, cheap blackmail, vituperations, name calling and attack by the Sapele Okpe Community.

‘’This is just to disrupt the peaceful resolution process that culminated in the inspection/assessment/visits to affected areas. Representatives of the Sapele Okpe Community, Ugbukurusu and SEPLAT were seen in boat during the visitation that was conducted by the Special Adviser to the Governor on peace building and conflict resolution. The sack calls made by Chief Onoriode Temiagin is not only laughable but an attempt to shift the goal post in the middle of a match as there is no justifiable reason to make such calls. The question that begs for an answer is whether Obotie Community is within the 5 (kilometres radius to the exploration area’’

In a statement titled: Re-press briefing granted by one Chief Onome Temiagin (Chairman, Sapele Okpe Community), one Mr Azan Friday (Chairman, Ugbukurusu Community) and others, crass display of ignorance, hogwash and their unrepentant nature of peddling lies – setting the record straight, the Obotie leaders said Chief Onoriode Temiagin and his co-travellers spoke from ignorance when they ascribed exclusive ownership of the Okpe Sobo Forest reserve to the Sapele Okpe Community.

‘’We make bold to say that the Obotie Community is among the communities that are not of Okpe extraction but have been in the Okpe Sobo forest reserve prior to the constitution of the reserve. The legal status of Obotie People as it concerns the ownership of Obotie Community is casted in gold from time immemorial and has been given judicial approval in the ear 1925 by the Supreme Court of Nigeria in the case of Muwunum vs Achydoma in suit No MW/452/53 BETWEEN Jewiragba& Co vs Jonomi. The court further ticked the judicial scale in favour of Obotie people as it concerns the ownership of Obotie Community’’.

The statement was signed by Pa Simeon Brikinn, Chairman, Pa Peter Ogholaja, Vice Chairman, Mr George Facah, Secretary of Obotie Elders Council, Engr. Samuel Atiwe, Chairman, and Hon Fanemigho, Secretary, Obotie Management Council.

The leaders accused the Sapele Okpe Community leaders of peddling lies.

‘’It is not in our nature to reply neither is it our character to glorify crass display of ignorance, hogwash, inordinate narrations and unrepentant attitude of lies peddling that were ignobly displayed by Chief Onoriode Temiagin and others but it is charitable to educate members of the public hence it becomes imperative to set the record straight as it concerns the stentorian lies and sinister narratives that were copiously repeated in the said press briefing’’.

The Itsekiri leaders came out heavily on the Okpe communities for the unjustifiable, reckless, inordinate and senseless attacks melted on the Special Adviser to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori on peace building and conflict resolution and his team.

‘’These nefarious actions are not new to us. A typical example is the inability of Ugbukurusu Community to open her defense for more than 14 (fourteen) years in a trespass suit that was filed against her (Ugbukurusu Community) by Obotie Community. Instead, the Ugbukurusu Community has been resorting to physical attacks, trying to make the case to start denovo and other immature displays of technicalities’’.

They described the Okpe Sapele Community as a casual blackboard for juvenile graffiti.

‘’The Special Adviser to the governor have been unbiased and true to an amiable peaceful resolution that represent the true state of things as they affect SEPLAT operations and the impact they have on all impacted communities hence Chief Onoriode Temiagin and his people resorted to playing shenanigans even when the report on the investigation is not yet out’’.

They also frowned at the attempt of Okpe leaders to foist their position on SEPLAT.

‘’The Sapele Okpe Community in league with SEPLAT have been hatching and orchestrating all sorts of sinister plans to undermine the Obotie Community from getting her benefits as a community that is impacted by the activities of SEPLAT. SEPLAT has recruited the leadership of the Sapele Okpe Community to frustrate the innocuous and legal claims of Obotie Community hence this kind of ill motivated press briefing that is credited to Chief Onoriode Temiagin and is likes’’.

Particularly, the top Itsekiri leaders accused the Sapele Okpe Community of spreading falsehood.

‘’Another question that begs for an answer is how did Chief Onoriode Temiagin and his like become spokespersons for SEPLAT that warrants making submission for SEPLAT? Again, these exhibit heinous conspiracy between Sapele Okpe Community and SEPLAT to deprive Obotie Community from her legal rights, privileges and benefits that are accruable to her as her impacted community to SEPLAT operations’’.

They also called for the protection of Governor Oborevwori against the oppression of the leadership of Sapele Okpe Community and Sapele Local Government Area.

‘’At this point, we are passionately requesting the protection of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori against the oppression of both the leadership of Sapele Okpe Community and that of Sapele.

The leaders implored the public in General and Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to ignore the ignorable, callous, sinister and reckless narratives and allegations that are being peddled by Sapele Okpe Community

‘’Just like our ancestors before us, we are determined and in our righteous might, we shall continue to defend the Obotie Community which is our Ancestral Home from the likes of SEPLAT and the Sapele Okpe Community. Chief Onoriode Temiagin subtle threat of war is not new to us as Obotie Community has been a victim of a collective onslaught and aggressions that were poured on our community by premeditated and combined forces of the entire Sapele Okpe Community. The Obotie Community survived it and we will continue to defend the Obotie Community with legal means within the ambit of the law.

‘’These ignoble calls that are credited to Chief Onoriode Temiagin and his group of warmongers bring to mind the judgement of king Solomon as it concerns the biblical story of the two women laying claims to a living baby as posted in 1 Kings 3: 16-28. Chief Onoriode Temiagin and others have forgotten that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori is a governor of, by and for all Deltans and not a governor for, by and of the Okpe people. Chief Onoriode Temiagin lacks the capacity to drag the exalted Office of Governor of Delta State into petty tribal/ethnic tension as the Governor is a father of all Deltans and all tribes in Delta State. We are confident that His Excellency Governor Sheriff Oborevwori will not act on the utterance of Chief Onoriode Temiagin and his likes who are behaving like football players who are anticipating defect to a stronger team’ ’the statement added.