Sapele: Delay in implementing report on boundary disputes, endangering our lives, family tells Oborevwori

The Ero and Omiugbo Family of Ogorode Community in Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State, says the perceived delay by Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori to implement the white paper report on land and boundary disputes in Sapele, is fuelling the impunity of the aggressors and endangering the lives of peaceful citizens of Ogorode Community.

The family, said the governor’s seeming silence on the matter was deafening, warning that if Governor Oborevwori continues to ignore their plight and protect them from oppressors, Itsekiri people in Sapele Local Government Area, alongside their kinsmen in other localities and those in diaspora, will completely withdraw their political support and turn their attention to other gubernatorial candidates in the forthcoming election.

Fresh Angle International, can report that the family handed down the warning Tuesday October 6, at Ogorode, Sapele, during a media briefing.

The Trust Secretary of Ero and Omiugbo family, Eric Esidamire Ikomi, who addressed newsmen on behalf the family, explained that youths and members of Sapele/Okpe Community, “under the pretext of rally” in commemoration of the visit of the Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, HRM Major General Felix Mujakperuo (Rtd.), Orhue I, “took their so-called rally to Ogorode Community in Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State, which is completely outside their territorial boundaries” and launched an unprovoked attack on innocent passersby as well as law-abiding citizens carrying out their legitimate businesses.

The statement, reads: “We the members of ERO and OMIUGBO family of Ogorode Community in Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State, today being the 6^th day of October, 2026, called this urgent press briefing to alert the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Delta State Government, the Chairman of Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State, HRM Ogiame Atuwatse III (CFR), the Olu of Warri Kingdom, HRM Major General Felix Mujakperuo (Rtd.), Orhue I, the Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, the security agencies and the general public to the unprovoked violent attack on the peace-loving people of Ogorode Community and destruction of properties by the youths and members of Sapele Okpe Community.

“On October 3, 2026, His Royal Majesty, Major General Felix Mujakperuo (Rtd.), CFR, Mni, Orhue I, the Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, embarked on a royal visit and tour to Sapele Town. The exercise that was supposed to mark the home coming of his royal majesty to Sapele Town was later hijacked by the youth and members of Sapele/Okpe Community who have been looking for an avenue to lay siege on Ogorode Community. The youths and members of Sapele/Okpe Community under the pretext of rally in commemoration of the visit of his royal majesty took their so-called rally to Ogorode Community in Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State, which is completely outside their territorial boundaries.

“In the course of the rally, the youths and members of Sapele/Okpe Community, who were armed and with the motive of disrupting the peace in Ogorode Community, launched an unprovoked attack on innocent passersby and law-abiding citizens carrying out their legitimate businesses. In the process, several persons were severely injured, and valuable properties destroyed. Those affected whose lives and properties were at stake were left with no option but to defend themselves.

“At this juncture, we must state unequivocally that this is not the first time we have suffered attacks in the hands of the youths and members of Sapele/Okpe Community. We were attacked by this same group of persons on October 1, 2025, April 8, 2026, and September 24, 2026, inflicting life-threatening injuries on members of our family and damaging our properties worth Hundreds of Millions of Naira.

“Based on the frequent attacks by the youths and members of Sapele/Okpe Community against our people, we made several complaints to the various security agencies, but unfortunately, no decisive action has been taken to bring the perpetrators to justice or check their excesses.

“We wish to set the record straight for the avoidance of doubt, that Ogorode is not a community under Sapele/Okpe. Ogorode is an autonomous community in Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State, founded exclusively by the Ero and Omiugbo family in the year 1830. This historic settlement existed long before the creation of the Sapele Okpe Communal Land Trust in 1959. Ogorode was never part of the land donated to or encompassed by the Sapele Okpe Communal Land Trust. The members of the Ero and Omiugbo family possess overwhelming, irrefutable evidence of ownership of Ogorode. This includes ancestral homes, notable historical fixtures, and litigation maps. As overlords, we have leased various portions of our land to individuals and corporations. A prime example is Life Flour Mill Limited, which has enjoyed peaceful, undisturbed possession of its lease since 1972 to date.

“We are also, equipped with plethora of court judgments, declaring that the Sapele Okpe Community does not own customary land in Sapele, let alone in Ogorode. We draw the attention of the general public to the landmark Supreme Court Judgment between; the Ogodo family and the Sapele Okpe Community & Others, which firmly settles these boundary and ownership realities.

“To the Senator representing the good people of Delta Central Senatorial District at the upper chambers, Senator Ede Dafinone, we wish to use this medium to express our deep disappointment and strongly condemn your apparent attempts to use your position to intimidate our people and forcefully arrogate our ancestral land to the Okpe people. We, the Itsekiris residing within Delta Central, are fully aware that your representation is being skewed to favour only your Okpe kinsmen, rather than serving all constituents equitably.

“And to our Amiable Governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori. Your Excellency, the continuous silence on this matter is deafening. We are compelled to ask sir; why have you deliberately ignored the implementation of the White Paper report on these land and boundary disputes? Your delay in implementing this report is fuelling the impunity of the aggressors and endangering the lives of peaceful citizens of Ogorode Community.

“Your Excellency, we do not want to believe that your administration is biased against the Itsekiri people. However, we urgently need you to demonstrate that your government encompasses all citizens of Delta State, regardless of ethnicity.

“Let it be known your excellency that our people are fed up with this marginalization and are running out of patience politically and socially. Therefore, if this administration continues to ignore our plight and protect those oppressing us, we the Itsekiri people in Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State, alongside our kinsmen in other localities and those in diaspora, will completely withdraw our political support and turn our attention to other gubernatorial candidates in the forthcoming election.

“In the interest of peace and security, we call on the Chiefs, elders, and leaders of the Sapele/Okpe community to immediately caution the youths to refrain from going about with false mindset that we the Itsekiris are outsiders in a land we have called home for generations.

“We are a peace-loving people, but our patience is spent. We call on the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Delta State Government, the Chairman of Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State, HRM Ogiame Atuwatse III (CFR), the Olu of Warri Kingdom, HRM Major General Felix Mujakperuo (Rtd.), Orhue 1, the Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, the federal security apparatus to intervene immediately and bring the perpetrators of the October 3, 2026, violence on the lives and properties of the people of Ogorode Community to book, and secure our borders. Failure to do so, will leave us with no other option but to put legal, traditional, and physical machineries in place to protect our own lives, families, and properties.”

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