Abigborodo Community: We Are The Rightful Owners Of Gbekoko, Oton Lands (PRESS STATEMENT)

PRESS RELEASE

THE UTON – IYATSERE AND GBEKOKO LARGE EXPANSE OF LAND BELONG TO THE ABIGBORODO PEOPLE OF WARRI KINGDOM AND THEIR CLAIM OF OWNERSHIP IS BONAFIDE AND LEGITIMATE

We make this press statement for immediate release to the general public on behalf of the community management committee, chiefs, elders , the peace loving and good people of Abigborodo Community at home and in diaspora.

This press statement is a direct reaction to the press release by ITV by the Okpe Youth Council and other commentators on the above subject.

Ordinarily, we would not want to dignify the said press release, albeit for the serious nature of the allegations therein, it is pressed on the Abigborodo Community to put the records straight and to separate facts from fiction as follows:

(1) The area known as Utonyasere and Gbekoko are the ancestral lands of the Abigborodo community/people and they enjoy peaceful possession of same until the colonial masters annexed the Utonyasere and Gbekoko lands to form a forest reserve which is known as the Okpe – Sobo forest reserve constituted by Order No. 33 of 1933.

(2) The Abigborodo people are the descendants of Iyatsere Egharegbemi of Warri kingdom who founded the Utonyasere expanse of land which transverses from Utonyasere to Gbekoko in the 17th century.

(3)That Utonyasere simply means Iyatsere creeks

(4) Gbekoko means Ekoko’s farm. Gbekoko area of the land was given to Ekoko – one of the slaves of Chief Umuegbe Ogheghe – grandson of Iyatsere whom inherited that portion of the land and same was given to Ekoko for farming purposes on behalf of his master hence the name Gbekoko.

(5) That upon the expiration of slave trade and Ekoko left Gbekoko, the Gbekoko lands was leased to an Ifon man named Aribiowu who led a group of farmers in 1919 vide a lease agreement signed by Pa Udun and Okomaina on behalf of the Abigborodo community and Aribiowu, Johnson, Daniel Ogbaharikomi, Inomiama, and Jonnie. Herein attached is the lease agreement dated 24th/05/1919 duly certified by the national archive, Ibadan.

(6) That upon the annexure of the Uton – Iyasere lands by the colonial masters to form a forest reserve, a petition was written by Alema Okonedo ; the then Paramount ruler of Abigborodo community to the then Major General whom investigated his claims and agreed that the Utonyasere and Gbekoko lands belongs to the Abigborodo community and same was excised from the said forest reserve. We have colonial documents dated 1st of May 1941 duly certified by the National Archive, Ibadan to buttress our claims.

(7) To further buttress our claim that the said Uton – Iyatsere and Gbekoko land was actually de-reserved and given back to the Abigborodo community and the said expanse of land are no longer part of the reserve; here is a memorandum dated 3 March 1941to exclude the Uton – Iyatsere and Gbekoko lands from the reserve duly certified by the national archives.

(8) That one Mr Austin Arieja surreptitiously used his status as a staff of the Ministry of Environment to enter the said Utonyasere and Gbekoko lands to sell same to unsuspecting members of the public which is a clear bridge of the code that guides the activities of civil servants in Delta State.

(9) That the said Austin Arieja was investigated by the Nigeria Police force and upon the conclusion of their investigations, the police issued it’s report with reference number CR;3000/XFHQ/ABJ/VOL: 243/366 dated 20th April 2020 wherein the police indicted Augustine Arieja for criminal encroaching on the Uton – Iyasere land belonging to the Abigborodo Community.

(10) That the ministry of lands, Delta State, and several other agencies report has indicted Mr Austin Arieja for criminally entering the Utonyasere and Gbekoko lands belonging to the Abigborodo Community/people.

(11) That Austin Arieja is standing trial before the High Court 4 of Delta State, Asaba for criminally using his office as a staff of the ministry of environment to sell lands belonging to the Abigborodo community/ people.

(12)That the Delta State Government set up a judicial panel of enquiry to look into the claims by Okpes, that because the forest reserve is named Okpe Sobo forest reserves therefore the forest reserve belongs to the Okpes. Every community including Abigborodo community affected by the said forest reserve submitted a memoranda
before the said panels and made presentations. The panel made their findings and submitted same to the Government of Delta State. That the Delta State Government is yet to release the while paper as it affects the report of the judicial panel of enquiry.

(13) that despite the press release by the Delta State Government asking all parties to the dispute to stop hostilities with regard to the white paper yet to be released by the Delta State Government , Mr Austin Arieja and his armed boys have continuously attacked indigenes of Abigborodo community on several occasions.

(14) That on the 5th and 7th of January 2022, armed Thugs led by Austin Arieja , Ovo Abeke and one Bakpor attacked Abigborodo community and the convoy of our traditional Chief; Chief Emmanuel Oritsejolomi Uduaghan wherein members of our community were kidnapped and/or maimed for no justifiable cause or reason.

(15)That the Abigborodo community is a peace loving Community, hence we did not retaliate any of the assaults by Utonyasere people led by Augustine Arieja, rather we allow the law to take its full cause , hence those who are involved in the attacks on indigenes of Abigborodo community have been caught by the long arm of the law.

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(16) That the Abigborodo community/people have no issues whatsoever with the Okpe nation, rather it is Austin Arieja whom even the Okpe nation has adjudged not to be an Okpe man, hence the Orodje in council withdrew the chieftaincy title conferred on him late last year. It is therefore surprising that the Okpe Youth Council I’d trying to make it look like the Abigborodo Community is having a communal war with the Okpe nation.

(17) That the Government of Delta State is yet to release the white paper report as it affects the Okpe – Sobo forest reserve. The Okpe Youth Council should not mislead the general public into believing that the white paper has been released.

(18)That in as much as the Abigborodo people are peace loving people, we will not fold out hands and watch it’s citizen being massacred and /or kidnapped by agents of Augustine Arieja in Utonyasere. Nobody or group of persons have the Monopoly of violence. The Abigborodo people will use all legal means to defend themselves in the even of any further threat, harassment and molestation.

(19)The security operatives, the Army, the police and DSS who have good security reports against the said Austin Arieja, Ovo Abeke, Obakpor and the bad eggs in Oton are hereby put on notice on the threat by Okpe Youth Council. We demand for withdrawal of same for the interest of peace and development of the area.

(20) Finally we call on well meaning members of the public to call Austin Arieja and his agents to order.

Thank you gentlemen of the press for attending

Signed
Hon Misan R. Ukubeyinje. ESQ.
Chairman Abigborodo Community Management Committee.