The Abigborodo community has reiterated its ownership of the PPL 220 oil field, encompassing the lands of Ugbekoko, Uton Iyatsere, and surrounding areas, dismissing recent claims made by the Sapele Okpe community as misleading and legally unfounded.

In a statement issued by the Chairman of the Abigborodo Management Committee, Hon. Misan Ukubeyinje, the community rejected assertions made by Sapele Okpe leaders, which had appeared on an online platform. These claims suggested that the Federal Ministry of Environment, oil companies, and other government agencies should disregard Abigborodo’s longstanding ownership of the land and alter the name of PPL 220.

Legal and Historical Foundation of Abigborodo’s Claim

Ukubeyinje described the Sapele Okpe claims as legally untenable, historically inaccurate, and lacking verifiable documentary evidence. He emphasized that Abigborodo remains the rightful owner of the oil field and its surrounding areas, supported by colonial records obtained from the National Archives in Ibadan.

These records, cited by Emmanuel Oritsejolomi Uduaghan, the Alema of Warri Kingdom, include judicial proceedings and official investigations carried out by British colonial authorities, which consistently upheld the claims of the Abigborodo community to the disputed areas.

Historical Context of the Land Dispute

Ukubeyinje explained that Abigborodo and other Itsekiri communities—including Obotie, Aruwun, Ogorode, Ajimele, Ogwanja, and Aja-Ojigwo—were the original settlers of Sapele long before the Okpe people migrated from Orerokpe between 1900 and 1907. He pointed out that Sapele had already been established as a British colonial administrative center by 1891, well before the Okpe migration.

In support of Abigborodo’s position, Ukubeyinje referenced a 1940 colonial court judgment that discharged Abigborodo farmers accused of trespassing within the Okpe-Sobo forest reserve. Additionally, he highlighted protest letters from the Olu of Warri and the Alema of Warri, which were submitted in the 1930s, prompting an investigation by the colonial administration. This investigation ultimately resolved the dispute in favor of Abigborodo.

Challenging Claims of Land Ownership

Ukubeyinje dismissed the argument that Abigborodo’s land does not extend into Sapele Local Government Area. He clarified that administrative boundaries, such as those created for governance purposes, do not negate ancestral land ownership, which predates both the establishment of local governments and the modern Nigerian state.

Furthermore, he referenced a 2021 Judicial Panel of Enquiry into the Okpe-Urhobo forest reserve, which recognized Ugbekoko, Obotie, and Aja-Ojigwo as Itsekiri communities and affirmed Uton Iyatsere as an Itsekiri settlement.

Concerns Over Alleged Institutional Bias

Ukubeyinje expressed concerns about a closed-door meeting allegedly involving the Delta State Commissioner for Oil and Gas, Navante Exploration and Production Limited, and representatives of the Sapele Okpe community. He argued that such a meeting, if true, would constitute institutional bias and questioned the authority of any government official to alter the long-established, gazetted name of PPL 220.

The Abigborodo chairman emphasized that extensive research, independent investigations, and stakeholder consultations had been conducted before the oil field was named PPL 220. He firmly stated that no individual or agency has the legal right to change its name or ownership designation.

Abigborodo’s Position on Ownership

Ukubeyinje reiterated that the PPL 220 oil field lies entirely within Abigborodo land, and that the people of Abigborodo—who are of Itsekiri extraction—will be the ones most directly impacted by any oil operations in the area. He referred to the Sapele Okpe claims as trespassing and called on the Minister of Environment, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the Minister of Petroleum Resources, and the Delta State Government to disregard the claims from Sapele Okpe.

In conclusion, Ukubeyinje urged relevant authorities to uphold the position of the Alema of Warri Kingdom on the rightful ownership and naming of the PPL 220 oil field. He called for the Sapele Okpe community to provide evidence to support their claim and affirmed that Abigborodo’s title to the land is legally sound, historically documented, and supported by solid evidence.