Hold Sapele LGA Chairman responsible, if harm befalls any member of Ero, Omiugbo family – Ogorode Indigenes alert

Indigenes of Ogorode Community in Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State, have called on the Federal and Delta State Governments, to hold the Chairman of Sapele Local Government Area, Bright Abeke as well as the Military and Sapele Police Main Division responsible, if any harm befalls any member of Ero and Omiugbo family.

Fresh Angle International, can report that the Ogorode indigenes, who are Itsekiris, raised the alarm at Ogorode, Sapele, Saturday February 28, during a press briefing.

The Trust Secretary of Ogorode Community, Esidamire Eric Ikomi, who addressed newsmen on behalf of the leadership of Ogorode, alleged that the Sapele Local Government Chairman, “who is of Sapele Okpe descent, is presently usurping his authority and has involved the Military in a matter that is purely civil”, using the Military to halt the clearing exercise in Ogorode community, an action which the community leaders, said, “is completely illegal.”

Whilst claiming that members of Ero and Omiugbo family are being threatened on daily basis and have been invited to appear at the Military Barracks, the Ogorode leaders, alleged: “There are group of Sapele Okpe indigenes, who have sold their entire land in Sapele Town and have turned to lands in Ogorode community. They are forcefully dispossessing owners of their lands and selling them.”

Some elders of Ogorode Community, Sapele, shortly after press briefing

 The press statement, reads inter-alia: “Our attention has been drawn to some publications that have been making waves on the social media space and other related medium, particularly one by WADO CITY APROKO, on an incident which occurred in Ogorode Community in Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State, on February 23, 2026.

“I find such publications very disturbing and crave the indulgence of those responsible to desist forthwith, from publishing such unverified contents that are capable of degenerating into violence, unrest and community crises.

“Permit me at this point to intimate the general public that we the indigenes of Ogorode community are peace loving people and law-abiding citizens of Nigeria. Ogorode Community in Sapele Local Government Area, has enjoyed relative peace and safety overtime and prays that it continues to be so.

“However, there are group of Sapele Okpe indigenes, who have sold their entire land in Sapele Town and have turned to lands in Ogorode community. They are forcefully dispossessing owners of their lands and selling them.

“These Sapele Okpe people are neither indigenes, nor occupants of Ogorode. One vital fact that the general public must be aware of, is that the only family in the whole of Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State with an ancestral heritage and features in Ogorode is the Ero and Omiugbo family, that is because, their ancestors were the first to settle in Ogorode in the year 1830. Only Ero and Omiugbo family, have notable fixtures such as ancestral grave sites, family settlements and quarters, community halls etc., in the whole of Ogorode community.

“We, the indigenous people of Ogorode Community, have jointly protected our lands and have exercised complete ownership by selling and leasing portions of land to individuals and companies, without any form of interference, until recently when these group of Sapele Okpe people instituted a civil court action against members of Ero and Umiugbo family, through their family Etajeme family.

“When it became obvious that the Sapele Okpe people were unable to establish their claim, they abandoned same and it was struck out by the Delta State High Court sitting at Effurun, since then, the Sapele Okpe peoples have resorted to self-help.

“Also, they have negatively influenced the security apparatus, such as the Police and the Military in Sapele, in perpetuating their illegality.

“Several petitions have been made to the Police in Sapele by members of the Sapele Okpe Community against Ero and Omiugbo family of Ogorode Community and after investigation, they were advised that their complaints border on civil dispute, which only the court of law has the competency to adjudicate upon.

“On one of those occasions at the police station, I was perplexed hearing a Chief of the Sapele Okpe Kingdom emphatically and authoritatively telling the police that they will never file a civil action to ventilate their grievances.

“Till date, these Sapele Okpe people have refused to institute any civil action against the indigenes of Ogorode community or attend court to defend the ones filed against them. On February 23, 2026, these Sapele Okpe youth stormed Ogorode with about 11 vehicles fully loaded with hoodlums and notorious cult boys, ravaging Sapele Town and in the process, adopted an operator of a heavy duty machine, which made the people of Ogorode to alert the officers of the Sapele Area Command and the Delta State Police Command, Asaba and when they realized that the police have been involved, they quickly took him and handed him over to the Sapele Police Main Division, under the pretext that he was taken for safety.

“We were later informed that the cultists engaged by the Sapele Okpe Youths, coincidentally clashed with a rival group, who tailed them from Sapele Town, which could have resulted into blood bath if not for the presence of the police officers that were on ground. To our greatest dismay, the attack on the cult group engaged by the Sapele Okpe youths, is now being attributed to members of Ero and Omiugbo families of Ogorode in Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State.

“It is worthy of note that the property where the operator was adopted and the scene of the incident of February 23, 2026, in Ogorode, was long sold by the Ero and Omiugbo family. Ero and Omiugbo family, were not the ones working on the site and could not have known that the Sapele Okpe youths would storm Ogorode on the said day.

“The general public, is hereby notified that the Chairman of Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State, Bright Abeke, who is of Sapele Okpe descent, is presently usurping his authority and has involved the Military in a matter that is purely civil. Using the Military to halt the clearing exercise in Ogorode community, is completely illegal.

“Members of Ero and Omiugbo family are being threatened on a daily basis and have been invited to appear at the Military Barracks. As law abiding citizens and peace-loving people, we will honour the invitation, but peradventure any harm befalls any member of Ero and Omiugbo family, Bright Abeke, the Military, Sapele Police Main Division and the Sapele Okpe community, are liable and should be held responsible.

“This is a clear case of injustice and oppression against the people of Ogorode community, because we are of Itsekiri origin in Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State.

“I want to appreciate you for this privilege to clear the wrong narratives being fabricated by individuals, bloggers and/or content creators about Ogorode community and plead that this content be made viral and shared until it gets to all parties concerned, well meaning Nigerians, the respective security agencies, the Governor of Delta State, the Presidency and the Olu of Warri. Thanks.”

Photo Credit: Juliet Nkanteen

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