More than 74 houses have been destroyed and several lives lost in a violent communal crisis involving Ijaw communities in Ovia South-West Local Government Area of Edo State.
The conflict, which began in Okomu, has spread to neighbouring areas like Agbede, Oweike, and Okorodudu, despite past efforts by the Ijaw National Congress to bring peace.
To end the crisis, Ijaw traditional rulers from Ondo, Edo, Delta, and Bayelsa States held a stakeholders’ meeting in Benin City.
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At the meeting, Chief Sunny Ajele was appointed to lead a Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee tasked with finding a lasting solution to the violence.
“In a bid to restore peace, Ijaw traditional rulers from Ondo, Edo, Delta, and Bayelsa States convened a high-level stakeholders’ meeting in Benin City, where they appointed Chief Sunny Ajele to lead a resolution committee tasked with ending the violence.
The monarchs called on all factions to lay down their arms and engage in dialogue in the interest of peace and community development.
Present at the meeting were notable traditional rulers including HRM William Ogoba (Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom), HRM Zacheus Egbunu (Pere of Arogbo Kingdom), HRM Joel Ibane (Pere of Iduwini Kingdom), HRM Capt. King Frank Okiakpe (Pere of Gbaraun Kingdom), HRM Stephen Oyabebefa Ebikeme (Pere of Poromor Kingdom), HRM Godwin Ogunoyibo (Pere of Olodiama), HRM Gbebokedi Ajiroba (Pere of Tubutoru), and HRM Roman Ikiyouseigha (Pere of Furupagha).
Speaking after the committee’s inauguration, Ajele said the peace panel would engage all critical stakeholders to identify the root causes of the conflict and recommend lasting solutions.”
Ajele said, “This crisis has been lingering for over three years now without a solution. INC came but couldn’t do much. Prominent Ijaw people tried but were also frustrated. The major community is Okomu but the crisis escalated to other areas where they killed some people and burned down houses, including Lawrence’s boys.
“In the Agbede community, they burnt over 30 houses. In Winke community, they destroyed about 18 houses and in Okorodudu, six houses were burnt. Most security men are afraid to go to the waterside. That is where a certain militant leader came from.
“But traditional rulers told the militant leader to surrender his tools which he never did. The military and the state’s vigilantes invaded his community, destroyed his property, and killed his boy. He managed to escape but came back with a reprisal attack on those he fingered to have let out his secrets to the government amongst his kinsmen and this eventually escalated.
“What we want to do now as a committee is to bring them together under one roof to live as one and work with security agents to do a thorough work in the waterside areas to ensure peace return to the Okomu community”.
He further said the divide-and-rule tactics by the immediate past administration made the situation worse.
However, there are now growing concerns that the Ijaw leaders are not only working for peace but are also trying to install a new king in Okomu who will be loyal to the Ijaw king. This move has been seen as a direct challenge to the authority of the Edo monarch, the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II.
Officials from the Oba’s Palace have denied any knowledge of the so-called reconciliation meeting or plans to crown a new king, calling it a clear sign of disrespect for the traditional authority of the Benin Kingdom.
Former member of the Edo State House of Assembly and ex-Chairman of Ovia South West, Hon. Destiny Oghayerio Enabulele, also reacted to the situation. He said: “The Benin matter is tiring. At any rate, there is a fundamental problem with us. The Benins should go and put their house in order because in the scheme of things,”
The crisis has also affected the operations of Okomu Oil PLC. There have been several terrorist attacks on the company, believed to be from groups who want the company’s development funds diverted to serve their interests. The company said it has remained committed to improving education, health, and the environment in host communities.
As the violence worsened, the 4 Brigade of the Nigerian Army stepped in. Brigadier General Ebenezer Olusesan Oduyebo and his troops have been praised by community leaders for preventing the total collapse of Okomu.
The Ibe Uyadonwei of Okomu Kingdom, Chief Edwin Denmene, told Info Daily: “If not for the efforts of the Brigadier General and his men, Okomu would be a conquered territory in the hand of one Lawrence Yanbor and his gang.”
Chief Freeman Cousin, the Ibe Egberigbawei (spokesman) of the kingdom, also commended the army and warned against pressures from powerful people to withdraw the soldiers. He said such a move would hand the community over to the attackers.
There are fears that if the military pulls out, the fragile peace in Okomu and its neighbouring communities may not last. Local leaders have called for more support to help rebuild the affected areas and restore normal life.
Lawrence Yanbor has been identified as the mastermind behind several attacks in the community, allegedly associated to Tompolo Tanita, a known militant in Delta State and a known security company with arms for the surveillance of NNPCL crude oil pipeline.
There is evidence linking Yanbor to the assassination attempt on the former king, who, according to reports, is still in hiding. Will the Nigerian police and army overlook his crimes and allow him to return to the community in the name of reconciliation?
What’s Behind These Actions?
The people claiming to be traditional rulers seem to have one main goal – to make sure that only the Ijaw people rule the Okomu community. Their long-term plan appears to be to take control of Okomu, and long time goal is to make Okomu part of Delta State.
This goal can be seen from things done over the years, especially by Ajele, who is now leading the reconciliation committee.
Ajele has been accused many times of attacking the Okomu oil community to take social development money for himself and the Ijaw people.
It is also worrying that the Ijaw purported traditional rulers seem to be ignoring the authority of Edo State – both the government and the Oba of Benin – as they try to take over Okomu by making sure the person on the illegal throne obeys the Ijaw King from Delta State.
Disrespecting the Benin Kingdom
The Ijaw people’s attempt to claim Okomu, which belongs to Edo State and the Benin Kingdom, clearly shows a lack of respect for the Oba of Benin.
Edo State has a respected royal system, and trying to install another “purported king” in the state without the Oba of Benin’s permission shows both ignorance of Edo history and disrespect for the traditional leadership.
Installing someone in Okomu as a king who answers to a king in Delta State shows just how foolish and unrealistic this plan is.
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