Communal Dispute Brews As Itsekiri, Ijaw Tango Over Land In Delta

The Itsekiri National Youths Council has queried the Ogbe-Ijoh community over its land ownership claim in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State, submitting that “Ogbe-Ijoh has no claim in Warri South!”

This was contained in a statement by INYC, Warri South chapter, signed jointly by its Secretary and Public Relations Officer, Comrades Ajemijeroma Gabriel Mene-Ejegi and Amejuma Adidi, respectively, copies of which were made available to journalists in Warri, Delta State on Wednesday.

Ijaw Youth Council, in Ogbe-Ijoh Warri kingdom, had earlier stated in a press release signed by its Chairman and secretary, Comrades Omare Moses and Donye Vincent, respectively, that “Warri township does not belong to one ethnic group and that the Ijaws of Ogbe-Ijoh and Urhobos of Okere and Agbarah share common boundaries, and are the landlords of Warri township.”

Ogbe-Ijoh had claimed that “the NNPCL and its JVs are hosted by the Ijaws of Ogbe-Ijoh, with their office located along NPA road, just opposite the Nigeria Naval base and the land on which its office complex is sited belongs to the Ogbe-Ijoh people.”

Ogbe-Ijoh had further claimed that “it is a known fact that the Itsekiris found their way to the present day Warri township as tenants to the Ijaws of Ogbe-Ijoh.”

In conclusion, Ogbe-Ijoh “urged the Itsekiris in Warri to go back home and develop their villages and their headquarter – Ode Itsekiri – which was leased to them by the good people of Ogbe-Ijoh on the premise of hospitality and way of benevolence, because they are not aborigines of Warri and this is because we know their history, just in case they have forgotten.”

However, the Itsekiri group, in its statement declared that Itsekiri “shall continue to defend our territorial integrity against aggressors and will never relent.”

The Itsekiri group maintained that “every empirical material, bears testament to Ogbe-Ijoh being in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State of Nigeria and not in Warri South Local Government Area.”

The Itsekiri group said, “The attention of the INYC, Warri South Local Government chapter has been drawn to a reply by the Ogbe-Ijoh/Warri kingdom IYC to the Itsekiri ownership of Warri, especially as against the Ijaw people of any description.

“We elect to presently respond to the extant publication on this occasion that: first, it is baffling that the publication was made under the name ‘Ogbe-Ijoh/Warri kingdom,’ when every empirical material bears testament to Ogbe-Ijoh being in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State of Nigeria and not in Warri South Local Government Area.’’

“Secondly, [b]it is worthy of note that besides empirical materials, the law has also settled this issue on several occasions including: (a) the decision of the High Court of Justice in suit No: W/277/2012: Chief E.F. Esisi & 10 Ors vs. The Governor of Delta State & 5 Ors, where the honourable court referred extensively to the decision of R.W. Rhodes-Vivour J, sitting in Warri High Court in suit No. W/148/56 before the Warri High Court between Chief Izoukumo Olioki & 5 Ors (for themselves and on behalf of the Ogbe-Ijoh people) vs Itsekiri Communal Land Trustees and Chief Sam Warri Esi (for himself and on behalf of Agbassa and the Igbudu people) over the declaration of title to land in Warri, including the areas now being claimed by the people of Ogbe-Ijoh of Warri; the relevant portion being as follows: ‘On the 9/7/64, this court delivered its ruling refusing the plaintiffs application to discontinue after the trial date had been fixed to the knowledge of the parties…The plaintiffs are hereby precluded from bringing any further actions action against any or either of the 1st and 2nd defendants in respect of the claims of which specific particulars were given in the Writ of Summons.’[/b]

“The action then instituted on the same subject matter with the extant one, by the people of Ijaw was struck out and in following this line of decision, the honourable court struck out the action again.

[b]“(b) Again, with the support of top Ijaw leaders, the Ama Okosu of Ogbe-Ijoh, had conceived a plan to launch into Warri South Local Government Area to establish an Ijaw kingdom called Ogbe-Ijoh kingdom of Warri South. They instituted the suit initially against only the local government council and the state, but the Isekiri people raised an objection and the suit was struck out before 2020.

“(c) Sequel to the above development, the Ijaws instituted suit no. W/147/2020 between HRM Amaokosu Mobene vs. the Executive Governor of Delta State & 5 Ors by which the Ama-Okosu of Ogbe-Ijoh claimed to be entitled to royalties in Warri South Local Government Area and after four years of intense legal tussle, the suit was struck out for being incompetent and lacking in merit.

“(d) The suit was secretly instituted in Asaba as opposed to Warri and they began pursuing it secretly almost securing judgment when the Itsekiris discovered and joined; the matter was then transferred back to Warri in 2022. Judgment was eventually delivered on the 26th day of March 2024 in favour of the Itsekiris.
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“From the above, it is very apparent that the propensity of the Ogbe-Ijoh people to make entrance into Warri South knows no bounds. They started in 1964 and have continued even till 2024 and on each occasion, failed and will continue to fail.

“We shall continue to defend our territorial integrity against aggressors and will never relent. Ogbe-Ijoh has no claim in Warri South!”