Delta State Residents Sue Oil Company for Alleged Land Encroachment

Six Delta State indigenes have filed a lawsuit against Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company Ltd (SEEPCO) for allegedly encroaching on their land located at Utagba-Ogbe, Kwale, Ndokwa-West Local Government Area of Delta State.

The plaintiffs, including Chief Idu Amechi, Chinedu Kingsley, Mr Onowu Ogechukwu, Mr Oshagbor Uchenna, Lieutenant Commander Wilson Ikwuni (retd), and Mrs Lilian Ekeigwe, claim that the oil company has caused damage to their property without proper compensation.

The plaintiffs purchased separate parcels of land from the Umu-Azaka Anie family in 2015 and had enjoyed peaceful possession of the land until 2021 when surveyors working for SEEPCO allegedly encroached on their land and destroyed their plants and crops.

The oil company allegedly moved its machinery and equipment into the property and began clearing the entire land without the consent of the landowners.

Despite the intervention of the House of Representatives Committee on the matter, SEEPCO has continued to encroach on the land with the aid of military and other security personnel.

The plaintiffs are seeking a declaration that the land in question rightfully belongs to them and are seeking compensation for the psychological trauma and deprivation from the use and enjoyment of their respective properties.

The defendants, including SEEPCO and its subsidiary Ashtavinnayak Hydrocarbons Ltd, have filed a preliminary objection to the suit, arguing that the court lacks jurisdiction to hear the matter.

The Delta State High Court in Kwale is currently hearing the case, with the plaintiffs seeking a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from further acts of trespass into their land and a N300million compensation for general damages.

The outcome of the case could have significant implications for property rights and land disputes in Delta State and the wider oil industry in Nigeria.