The attention of
Sapele Community also known as
Sapele Okpe Community has been drawn to the publication at page 29 of the Vanguard newspaper of Wednesday, December 17, 2025 by the Abigborodo Management Committee signed by Hon. Misan R. Ukubeyinje, Esq. (as Chairman), Mr. Victor O. Atseponu (as Secretary) and Hon. Godfrey Omamajemite Ogbemi (as PRO), wherein the Abigborodo Management Committee falsely accused the Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, the Governor of Delta State and the Nigerian Army of suppressing land-ownership rights in respect of the operations of Seplat Energy Plc carried on by Seplat Sapele West Ltd (‘Seplat’) at the Okpe-Urhobo Native Authority Forest Reserve in Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State of Nigeria. The said material is published as the text of a Press Release in a Press Conference by the Abigborodo Community of Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State. The Press Release falsely claims that Abigborodo Community are the owners of Otonyasere (corruptly spelt as Uton Iyatsere) and Ugbekoko lands within the precincts of the Okpe-Urhobo Native Authority Forest Reserve in Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State of Nigeria.
In the said publication, the Abigborodo Management Committee claims that the Abigborodo Community has made several presentations to Seplat about their alleged ownership of Otonyasere, Ugbekoko and other surrounding lands at the Okpe-Urhobo Native Authority Forest Reserve and impressed on Seplat, the Delta State Government, NUPRC, security agencies, agencies of the Delta State Government and the general public about the purported host community status of Abigborodo Community in relation to the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Host Communities Development Regulations 2022 but that Seplat has disregarded same because of the backing of
HRM Major General Felix Mujakperuo (Rtd), CFR, mni, Orhue I, the
Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, the Delta State Government and the Okpe people. The Press Release further alleged that because of his military background,
HRM Major General Felix Mujakperuo (Rtd), CFR, mni, Orhue I, the
Orodje of Okpe Kingdom deployed the services of the Nigerian Army personnel to deny Abigborodo Community of their purported ownership rights in the Okpe-Urhobo Native Authority Forest Reserve where Seplat operates.
In the said publication, the Itsekiri people of Abigborodo Community in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State threw caution and courtesy to the wind and went to the extent of casting aspersion on the revered monarch of the Okpe people,
HRM Major General Felix Mujakperuo (Rtd), CFR, mni, Orhue I, the
Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, calling him “
a land-grabber who wants to forcefully impose his overlordship on lands not owned by the Okpes but lands under the administrative control of the Alema of Warri Kingdom, Chief Emmanuel Oritsejolomi Uduaghan under the overlordship of the Olu of Warri.” We find the said publication to be, not only provocative but highly inflammatory and inciting.
Olu of Warri’s Disturbing and Troubling Silence over the Repeated Provocation of Okpe People of Sapele Community by the Itsekiris
The
Sapele Community also known as
Sapele Okpe Community finds it very disturbing and deeply troubling that
HRM Ogiame Atuwatse III, the
Olu of Warri, continues to overlook the very provocative actions of those who style themselves as
Abigborodo Management Committee, who are apparently the foot-soldiers of an over-ambitious Itsekiri-man,
Chief Emmanuel Oritsejolomi Uduaghan,
Alema of Warri Kingdom, who has repeatedly provoked the Okpe people of Sapele and the entire Okpe nation by his actions and utterances, purporting to act under the overlordship of the Olu of Warri. We hereby call on
HRM Ogiame Atuwatse III, the
Olu of Warri, to immediately call his Chief,
Chief Emmanuel Oritsejolomi Uduaghan,
Alema of Warri Kingdom, to order. The silence of the Olu of Warri over the repeated provocative actions of
Chief Emmanuel Oritsejolomi Uduaghan gives the impression that he is acting on the instructions and/or with the tacit approval of the Olu of Warri.
Itsekiri Influence over the Deployment of Military Personnel to Seplat
For the records, it is important to note that
HRM Major General Felix Mujakperuo (Rtd), CFR, mni, Orhue I, the
Orodje of Okpe Kingdom retired meritoriously from the Nigerian Army over thirty (30) years ago and is therefore not in a position to influence the deployment of security personnel to Seplat. As a matter of fact, it is the former
Chairman of
Abigborodo Management Committee,
Monday Agbeyi, who was in charge of arrangements for the deployment of military personnel for Seplat operations at the Okpe-Urhobo Native Authority Forest Reserve. Monday Agbeyi owns a security company known as Abicity, through which he handled the provision of security, including the deployment of military personnel, for Seplat operations at the Okpe-Urhobo Native Authority Forest Reserve. It is common knowledge that it was the thugs of Monday Agbeyi who burnt two (2) caterpillar, one swamp buggy and one excavator (equipment) belonging to a Seplat contractor. Furthermore, the Nigerian Army personnel covering Sapele have their Operational Base at Koko, an Itsekiri Community, which also serves as the headquarters of Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State, from where Monday Agbeyi’s Abicity company used to deploy military personnel to Seplat in Sapele.
Abigborodo Community’s Lack of Precedence over the Location
The fact of non-recognition of Abigborodo Community as host community by Seplat is based on the historical antecedents of Seplat’s operations at the location. Seplat inherited its operations in the location from
The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd (
SPDC). Seplat therefore continued from where SPDC stopped. SPDC has never recognised Abigborodo Community as host community. In fact,
Abigborodo Community has never laid any form of ownership claim to land in that location until the era of
Chief Emmanuel Oritsejolomi Uduaghan. Abigborodo Community is separated from Sapele Community and the Okpe-Urhobo Native Authority Forest Reserve by a
natural boundary, which is the
Hole-in-the-Wall Creek or
Benin Creek (
Benin River). It was after the Okpe people of Sapele Community led by
HRM Major General Felix Mujakperuo (Rtd), CFR, mni, Orhue I, the
Orodje of Okpe Kingdom allowed
His Excellency,
Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan,
Governor of Delta State, to construct a bridge across the
Hole-in-the-Wall Creek or
Benin Creek (
Benin River) to connect Abigborodo Community with Sapele Community that
Chief Emmanuel Oritsejolomi Uduaghan began to lay his false claim of ownership to our lands in the Okpe-Urhobo Native Authority Forest Reserve. It is the height of ingratitude for
Chief Emmanuel Oritsejolomi Uduaghan and his foot-soldiers of Abigborodo Community to be abusing that bridge connecting Abigborodo Community with Sapele Community by launching their ongoing attacks on our peace-loving Okpe people of Sapele Community. Until that bridge was constructed by the administration of Governor Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, the people of Abigborodo Community were separated from our Okpe people of Sapele Community.
Overlordship of the Orodje of Okpe over the Okpe-Urhobo Native Authority Forest Reserve
The allegation by
Chief Emmanuel Oritsejolomi Uduaghan and his foot-soldiers of Abigborodo Community styled as Abigborodo Management Committee that the Orodje of Okpe is “
a land-grabber who wants to forcefully impose his overlordship on lands not owned by the Okpes” is a public demonstration of crass ignorance. All lands within the Okpe-Urhobo Native Authority Forest Reserve and its environs on our side of the
Hole-in-the-Wall Creek or
Benin Creek (
Benin River) have always belonged to the Okpe people of Sapele Community. It is on record that the Legal Instrument by which the Okpe-Urhobo Native Authority Forest Reserve was constituted was signed by the
Okpe-Urhobo Native Authority, which is the predecessor of the
Udogun-Okpe (the
Orodje-in-Council) headed by
HRM Major General Felix Mujakperuo (Rtd), CFR, mni, Orhue I, the
Orodje of Okpe Kingdom of Okpe and Sapele Local Government Areas of Delta State. The
Itsekiri Native Authority whereof the
Olu of Warri exercised overlordship has never exercised authority over any portion of the Okpe-Urhobo Native Authority Forest Reserve from inception till date. The Okpe-Urhobo Native Authority Forest Reserve, as the name implies, was actually constituted (established) by the Okpe-Urhobo Native Authority (Udogun-Okpe), which was the Local Government system of that era, with the approval of the British colonial administration.
History of the Okpe-Urhobo (Ukpe-Sobo) Native Authority Forest Reserve and the Undisputed Ownership of the Reserve by the Okpe People of Sapele
The large expanse of land comprising the
Okpe-Urhobo (Ukpe-Sobo) Native Authority Forest Reserve was constituted into the
Okpe-Urhobo Forest Reserve by the
Udogun-Okpe Native Authority, previously known as
Ukpe-Sobo Native Authority on 16
th June, 1933 and approved by the
Governor of the
Southern Province of Nigeria on 30
th July, 1933. By Order No. 2 of 1927 made under the Forestry Ordinance as amended by the Forestry (Amendment) Ordinance 1927, the Okpe-Urhobo Native Administration Forest Reserve was constituted in the following words:
“
The necessary steps having been taken in accordance with section 36 of the Forestry Ordinance it is hereby ordered under section 35 of the said Ordinance by the Udogun of Okpe with the approval of the Governor as follows:-
‘All that piece of land containing thirty-five square miles or thereabouts situated in the Sapele District of Warri Province, the situation and limits of which are set forth in the First Schedule hereto, subject to the rights affecting the same, as set forth in the Second Schedule hereto, shall constitute a Native Administration Forest Reserve within the meaning of the Ordinance.’”
The Order No. 2 of 1927 was signed by members of the
Udogun Okpe Native Authority, who were:
Chief Ayomanor, Chief Ejebba, Chief A. E. Omarin, Chief Egbele, Chief Kogoro, Chief Akalusi, Chief Temisan, Chief Agbajo and
Chief Esobribi. The
Order No. 2 of 1927 by which the
Forest Reserve was constituted shows that same falls within the territory of
Sapele District of the then Warri Province. Historically, the request to constitute the Forest Reserve as Okpe-Urhobo Native Authority Forest Reserve was made by
Udogun-Okpe. Before the Forest Reserve was established, the Okpe – Urhobo Native Authority published a Public Notice dated 7
th May, 1932 in compliance with the applicable laws, inviting all persons whose land was affected by the proposed Forest Reserve, to submit their claims to the Native Court of Okpe (Ukpe) Clan Council within a period of three months. The Public Notice was duly approved by the District Officer for Sapele and the Resident of Warri Province. Following the publication of the Public Notice dated 7
th May 1932, the Olu of Itsekiri (as he was then known) submitted a protest letter dated 11
th July 1932 claiming as follows:
“
All that piece of land described in the aforesaid Notice belong to Olu of Itsekiri who is the sole trustee of all Itsekiri land. We further beg to hope that your honour will accordingly inform the Ukpe Sobo Native Authority that this protest is a cancellation of the Ukpe Sobo Public Notice referred above.”
The Colonial Administration duly considered the above protest/objection by the Itsekiri leaders and their claim of ownership of the entire land of the Forest Reserve in 1932 before going ahead to constitute (create) the Forest Reserve in 1933. The Acting Lieutenant-Governor of the Southern Province, W. E. Hunt, issued an Instrument dated July 1933, confirming that all necessary steps were taken in accordance with section 36 of the Forestry Ordinance, whereby he approved the constitution (creation) of the Forest Reserve. It therefore goes without saying that if
Ugbekoko and
Otonyasere (
Uton-Iyatsere) were not part of the territory of the Okpe people, same could not have been included in the Okpe-Urhobo Native Authority Forest Reserve. The above protest/objection by the Olu of Warri (previously known as Olu of Itsekiri) was done by the Chiefs and leaders of the Itsekiri people, including Chief Omagbemi Olotu, Chief Dore Numa and Chief Skin Oko Ogbomeyi, as representing the Itsekiri Native Authority.
There was also a personal petition by Chief Alema Okonedo dated 23
rd November, 1940 which was written about eight (8) years after the Itsekiri leaders had unsuccessfully protested/objected to the constitution (creation) of the Forest Reserve. In the petition of Chief Alema Okonedo dated 23
rd November 1940, Chief Alema Okonedo alleged that he was not aware of the proceedings of the Settlement Court that sat to determine the claims and rights of people to the Forest Reserve land but admitted that the Itsekiri Native Authority protested against the constitution (creation) of the Forest Reserve. By letter dated 14
th May, 1941 addressed to the Honourable, the Chief Secretary of the Government at Lagos, signed by J. A. Mackenzie as Secretary of Western Province, the Secretary to the Western Province confirmed that all claims to interests on the Okpe-Urhobo (Ukpe-Sobo) Native Authority Forest Reserve land were heard, investigated and decided on 25
th October, 1932 before the Forest Reserve was finally constituted (created) in 1933 by Order No. 33 of 1933 published in the supplement to the Gazette No. 31 of 31
st August 1933. At any rate, the petition of
Chief Alema Okonedo was investigated and found to be untrue and unsubstantiated. The people farming/fishing on the Forest Reserve lands, including the Itsekiri and Yoruba people thereat, were all tenants/licensees of the Okpe people of Sapele. No farming or fishing right whatsoever was granted to the people of Abigborodo Community at the Okpe-Urhobo Native Authority Forest Reserve at any time whatsoever. Historically, whereas the Abigborodo Community on the other side of the
Hole-in-the-Wall Creek or
Benin Creek (
Benin River) was under the Itsekiri Native Authority, the entire land making up the Okpe-Urhobo Native Authority Forest Reserve has always been under the Okpe-Urhobo (Udogun-Okpe) Native Administration. It was on that basis that the Governor of the Southern Province gave approval for the Okpe-Urhobo (Udogun-Okpe) Native Administration to constitute (establish) the Forest Reserve despite the protest/objection by the Itsekiri Native Authority.
Judicial Resolution of Itsekiri Claim of Ownership of Sapele Community Lands
The current attempt by the
Itsekiri people of
Abigborodo Community to lay claim of ownership to part of the land of the Okpe people of Sapele is consistent with previous efforts by Itsekiri people. The attempts by
Itsekiri people who laid false and unfounded claims of ownership to Sapele lands of Okpe people came to a crescendo in the now famous case between
Chief Ayomano & Chief Asan Edwin Omarin (on behalf of themselves and the Chiefs and People of Okpe Clan) vs. Ginuwa II, His Highness the Olu of Itsekiri for himself and as representing the Itsekiri People of Sapele) reported as
Chief Ayomano and another v. Ginuwa II, 9 WACA 85. There is no doubt that it was that case which finally settled the dispute over ownership of Sapele lands between Sapele Okpe-Urhobo people and the Itsekiri people with finality. The case also established a historical fact that Itsekiri people ran to Sapele Community for refuge from the
Nana War of 1894 and were warmly welcomed by the Okpe people of Sapele Community.
In that case, the Itsekiri people claimed ownership of the
510 acres of land leased to the British colonial Government by the Okpe people of Sapele. It turned out that because
Chief Dore Numa was appointed as the
Agent of the
British Government for the Benin River, the Okpe people of Sapele engaged
Chief Dore Numa to represent them as
Lessors in the lease granted on
3rd December, 1908 to the British colonial Government for
99 years. The Okpe people were kind enough to share/concede about half of the annual rent of £100 (One Hundred Pounds) to Chief Dore Numa. The relationship between the Sapele Okpe people and Chief Dore Numa was very cordial. Unfortunately, in 1932, Chief Dore Numa betrayed the trust of the Sapele Okpe people and began to claim that the land leased to the British colonial Government belonged to the Itsekiri people. Chief Dore Numa then directed Itsekiri people in Sapele to stop paying rent/tributes to the Okpe people in Sapele. Feeling insulted by the Itsekiris, the Chiefs and leaders of the Okpe people of Sapele challenged the conduct of the Itsekiris in Court. During the proceedings, the Olu of Itsekiri attempted to concoct evidence to support his false claim of ownership of the lands of the Okpe people of Sapele. The Olu of Itsekiri called a certain William Moore, who paraded himself as a historian. William Moore testified in Court that Sapele lands belong to the Olu of Itsekiri as overlord of the Sapele Okpe people. After taking evidence from both sides, the trial Judge came to the conclusion that the evidence of traditional history of ownership of Sapele lands by the Itsekiris was unreliable. The trial Judge described the evidence of William Moore as emanating from the ‘fertile brain’ of the Olu of Itsekiri’s ‘self-styled’ historian as fantastic and unconvincing. The trial Judge entered Judgment in favour of the Okpe people as owners of Sapele lands.
Dissatisfied with that
Judgment, the
Olu of Itsekiri appealed to the
West African Court of Appeal (
WACA), which was the intermediate appellate Court for the British colonies of Gold Coast (Ghana), Nigeria, Gambia and Sierra Leone. In its Judgment, the West African Court of Appeal (WACA) affirmed the Judgment of the trial Court and upheld the title of the Okpe people of Sapele to the Sapele lands. Part of the Judgment of
WACA is reproduced as follows (
9 WACA 85 at 86):
“
in the course of his judgment the learned trial Judge stated “I can find no substance in the defendants’ claim in their defence either as to ownership or as to overlordship. They might well be described as impudent claims”.
“On the other hand he found that for all practical purposes, the whole area now claimed was formerly farmed by Sobos. After the “Nana War”, which took place in 1894, “a large number of Jekris ran for refuge to Sapele and there obtained the permission of the Sobos to settle, giving customary ‘dashes’ for the grant of that privilege. … …
“It is clear that the trial Judge was satisfied that the Sobos were the original settlers on the land and had exercised exclusive rights of ownership up till the time the Government obtained a lease of the land by deed dated the 3rd December, 1908”.
The
Urhobo (Okpe) people were previously called
Sobos, while the
Itsekiris were called
Jekris by the British people. The above reproduced portions of the Judgment contain far-reaching findings by the trial Court which were affirmed by the appellate Court (WACA). The trial and appellate Courts made the following specific findings of fact about the relationship between the Okpe and Itsekiri people in respect of land ownership in Sapele:
- The Sobos (Okpe people) were the original settlers on Sapele land;
- For all practical purposes, the whole area now claimed (Sapele) was formerly farmed by Sobos (Okpe people) before the Itsekiri people ever arrived there;
- After the “Nana War”, which took place in 1894, “a large number of Jekris (Itsekiri) ran for refuge to Sapele;
- The large number of Itsekiri people that ran for refuge to Sapele obtained the permission of the Sobos (Okpe people) to settle in Sapele;
- The large number of Itsekiri people that ran for refuge to Sapele were giving customary ‘dashes’ to the Okpe people in Sapele for the grant of the privilege to settle in Sapele; and
- The Sobos (Okpe people) had exercised exclusive rights of ownership up till the time the Government obtained a lease of the land by deed dated the 3rd December, 1908.
Interestingly, the above findings of fact, which were affirmed by the appellate Court (WACA), were not appealed against by the Itsekiri people. WACA was an intermediate appellate Court and a litigant who was not satisfied with any decision of WACA had the option to appeal with leave to the
Judicial Committee of the
Privy Council as the Court of last resort. The
Olu of Itsekiri (for himself and on behalf of the Itsekiri people) accepted the above findings of the Courts. Thus the above findings of fact constitute what is known as
issue estoppel. The Abigborodo people and indeed every Itsekiri person is
estopped from denying that: (i) the Okpe people were the original settlers on Sapele land; (ii) the whole area now called Sapele was formerly farmed by Okpe people; (iii) it was after the “Nana War”, which took place in 1894 that a large number of Itsekiri people ran for refuge to Sapele; (iv) the large number of Itsekiri people that ran for refuge to Sapele obtained the permission of the Okpe people to settle in Sapele; (v) the large number of Itsekiri people that ran for refuge to Sapele were giving customary ‘dashes’ to the Okpe people in Sapele for the grant of the privilege to settle in Sapele; and (vi) the Okpe people had exercised exclusive rights of ownership over Sapele lands, including the portion designated as Okpe-Urhobo Native Authority Forest Reserve, whereof the Abigborodo people are now trying to set up a feeble claim of ownership.
For the records, and as upheld by the Court in the above stated case between
Chief Ayomano & Chief Asan Edwin Omarin (on behalf of themselves and the Chiefs and People of Okpe Clan) vs. Ginuwa II, His Highness the Olu of Itsekiri for himself and as representing the Itsekiri People of Sapele) reported as
Chief Ayomano and another v. Ginuwa II, 9 WACA 85, four (4) brothers of Orhoro Ruling House of the great Okpe Kingdom (of Sapele and Okpe Local Government Areas of Delta State) originally founded the area now known as Sapele and its adjoining lands, a long time ago, beyond living memory, including the entire lands constituted as the Okpe-Urhobo Native Authority Forest Reserve. The four (4) brothers who originally founded Sapele and its adjoining lands were: (1) Ijighare, (2) Ovwighodua, (3) Onokuta, and (4) Onoje). They deforested the area of its pristine vegetation and took peaceful, quiet and undisturbed possession of same, using some portions for their residence and the remainder as their farmlands. The descendants of Ijighare, Ovwighodua, Onokuta and Onoje are the indigenous Sapele Okpe people on whom the Sapele lands devolved, in accordance with Okpe native law and custom, from time immemorial till date. The Okpe people have remained in control of the entire area called Sapele from the time their forebears deforested/founded same till date. As laid to rest in the famous case between
Chief Ayomano & Chief Asan Edwin Omarin (on behalf of themselves and the Chiefs and People of Okpe Clan) vs. Ginuwa II, His Highness the Olu of Itsekiri for himself and as representing the Itsekiri People of Sapele) reported as
Chief Ayomano and another Vs. Ginuwa II, 9 WACA 85, there were no Itsekiri people in Sapele until the year 1894 when the Nana War drove Itsekiri people away from their territories across the Benin River and they obtained the permission of the Okpe (Sobos) to settle at Sapele.
When the Order No. 2 of 1927 was amended by Order No. 38 of 1937 by which some portions were excised from the Forest Reserve, the said Order No. 38 of 1937 made on 12
th October 1943 was signed by members of the Udogun-Okpe Native Authority, who were:
Chief Ayomanor, Chief A. E. Omarin, Chief Ojegba, Chief Agbotor, Chief Avbioroko, Chief Majaine, Chief Eyeregba, Chief Bakpolo, Chief Oritseje, Chief Okiyaya, Chief Oke, Chief Ogholo and
Chief Akpome. As we have shown above, the dispute about the ownership of the lands comprised in the Okpe-Urhobo Native Authority Forest Reserve was earlier laid to rest and the Forest Reserve continued to be managed by the Government of Sapele Local Government Council of Delta State for several decades, until recently when the Itsekiri people of Abigborodo Community began to resurrect a long settled dispute.
Following the problems created by Abigborodo people and based on complaints from
His Royal Majesty, the
Orodje of Okpe to the Government of Delta State, the Delta State Government set up a
Judicial Panel of Enquiry into the Okpe –Urhobo Forest Reserve, sometime in the year 2020. Abigborodo Community submitted a Memorandum to the said Judicial Panel of Enquiry. Several interest groups, including Sapele Local Government Council, the Udogun Okpe (Okpe Supreme Council), Sapele Okpe Community, Ceddi Corporation limited, Ugbekoko Community, Otonyasere Community, Delta State Ministry of Environment, and the Itsekiri Amalgamated Communities (Abigborodo, Obotie and Aja-Ojigwo) submitted various Memoranda to the said Judicial Panel of Enquiry. Significantly, the
Olu of Warri and
Warri North Local Government Council who have administrative and traditional control over Abigborodo Community and its people did not submit any Memorandum to the said Judicial Panel of Enquiry.
The Judicial Panel conducted public hearing on the matter after which it visited the Forest Reserve and submitted its Report. In its Report, the Judicial Panel of Enquiry found as facts:
- That the Forestry Law under which the Forest Reserve was constituted (established) vested ownership of the lands on the indigenous communities. (By the Judgment in the famous case between Chief Ayomano & Chief Asan Edwin Omarin (on behalf of themselves and the Chiefs and People of Okpe Clan) vs. Ginuwa II, His Highness the Olu of Itsekiri for himself and as representing the Itsekiri People of Sapele) reported as Chief Ayomano and another Vs. Ginuwa II, 9 WACA 85, the only indigenous people in Sapele before 1894 were the Okpe people);
- That Abigborodo Community could not substantiate its claim of ownership of any portion of land in the Forest Reserve;
- That the Delta State Government in 1996 de-reserved 200 acres of land from the Forest Reserve to Otonyasere community and in 1999 de-reserved 1,200 hectares of land from the Forest Reserve to Sapele-Okpe Community;
- That Chief Dr. Augustine Arieja, a member of Sapele Okpe Community and his group have been exercising acts of ownership and control over the 200 acres of land de-reserved for Otonyasere Community;
- That the 1,200 hectares of Forest Reserve land de-reserved for the Sapele Okpe Community was given to Ceddi Corporation Ltd by the Sapele Okpe Community and the company has been in physical possession of the said land;
- That the Sapele Okpe Community has been in effective physical possession of the de-reserved portions of the Forest Reserve;
- That the two (2) bungalows built in the Forest Reserve by Chief Emmanuel Oritsejolomi Uduaghan and his thugs which was part of the complaint of the Sapele Okpe Community constituted an encroachment on the Forest Reserve land; and
- That the complaint by Sapele Okpe Community about the stationing of armed youths around the Forest Reserve by members of Abigborodo Community constituted security threat within the area.
In its Report, the Judicial Panel recommended, among others, that structures constructed within the Reserve without Government approval, should be removed, especially the two bungalows erected within the Reserve by Chief Emmanuel Oritsejolomi Uduaghan and his thugs. The above findings and recommendations were approved by the Government White Paper on the Report of the Judicial Panel of Enquiry. The Government White Paper was issued in October 2020.
Despite the above decisions of the Delta State Government, Chief Emmanuel Oritsejolomi Uduaghan and his thugs have refused to remove the two (2) bungalows which they built in the Forest Reserve and to dismantle the armed youths which they stationed around the Forest Reserve till date, in compliance defiance of the position of the Delta State Government.
Flowing from the above, we find it distasteful that it is the same Abigborodo Community who are disobeying the directives of the Delta State Government issued since the time of His Excellency, Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, Governor of Delta State, in October 2020, that are complaining that the Delta State Government, especially the current performing Governor, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Elder Sheriff F. O. Oborevwori, is suppressing host community rights at the Forest Reserve. We believe that the above findings and recommendations of the Judicial Panel of Enquiry cannot be revised by whatever observations made by the Special Adviser on Peace and Conflict Resolution, which failed to accord fair hearing to our people when he visited the area. The land dispute in the area has since been judicially settled. We advise the Abigborodo Community to approach the Court if they believe in their claim of land ownership rather than resorting to violence and media propaganda against the Okpe people and their leadership.
Dated the 30
th day of December 2025.
Chief William Ayomanor Chief Onoriode Temiagin
(Duke of Sapele District) (Chairman, Sapele Okpe Community)
