The people of Oviri-Olomu community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, have called State Governor Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori to urgently intervene into the crisis brewing between her neighboring Ijaw community, Egodor in Burutu local government over an alleged attack on them and their lands.
The community in a petition signed by it’s president general, Engr Arumala, called on governor Oborevwori, the Department of Security Service and other relevant authorities to prevent the recent attack on them from escalating into a full blown war.
According to the statement, “We, the peace-loving people of Oviri-Olomu Federated Communities in Olomu Kingdom, Ughelli South Local Government Area, write to bring to your urgent attention the unprovoked attacks, intimidation, and unlawful land encroachment orchestrated by Mr. Emmanuel Council, a staff of Burutu Local Government Council, and his cohorts from Egodor (Ughotor) Community in Burutu LGA.
“Oviri-Olomu is an agrarian and fishing community that has coexisted peacefully with its neighbors, including Egodor, Kiagbodo, Bikorogha, Agbodobrin, and Okoloba (all in Burutu LGA) for centuries.
“The boundaries between Oviri-Olomu and its neighboring communities have been naturally and historically established without any existing land dispute.
“Recently, Mr. Emmanuel Council, self-styled as “Chairman, Oil and Gas, Egodor”, has mobilized attacks against our people, threatening peace and security in the area.
“On March 8, 2025, Mr. Emmanuel Council led a group of armed youths from Egodor Community to attack and chase away farmers from Oviri-Olomu, preventing them from accessing their farmland.
“On the same day, he led another group to disrupt the work of a contractor engaged by Blue Star Gas Ltd. This contractor had legally acquired land from an Oviri-Olomu family for its project site. Mr. Emmanuel Council and his group forcefully stopped the construction work, insisting that the contractor must rehire the land from Egodor Community before continuing.
“This unlawful act led to a brawl, forcing the workers and farmers to flee for their safety.
“Given the grave security threat posed by these actions, we urge Your Excellency and the relevant authorities to call Mr. Emmanuel Council and his sponsors to order to prevent further escalation of this crisis.
“Deploy security operatives to protect our farmers and ensure that contractors can continue their legitimate work without harassment.
“Direct an urgent boundary verification exercise by the Delta State Boundary Committee to reaffirm the historically recognized land demarcations.
“Sanction those responsible for the attacks to serve as a deterrent to further lawlessness.
“Facilitate a peace dialogue between Oviri-Olomu and Egodor Community to resolve any underlying grievances legally and peacefully.
“Oviri-Olomu Federated Communities do not have any pending land disputes with Egodor or any neighboring community. If Egodor Community has any grievances, they should seek redress through legal channels, not through intimidation and violence.
“We trust in Your Excellency’s leadership and commitment to peace, justice, and security. We appeal for swift intervention before this situation degenerates into a full-blown communal conflict.
