The Ogu community in Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area of Rivers State has accused the people of Ekporo community in Eleme Local Government Area of exhibiting too much territorial behaviour.
The Ogu community further accused the people of Ekporo of killing one of its sons simply identified as Johnny Isaac. The Ogu community also alleged that two of their indigenes were abducted by the people of Ekporo. The persons abducted are Ibunemisa Obie and Steven Oju.
Speaking at a press briefing, in Port Harcourt Chief Emmanuel Ibiorika, the Chairman Ogu Divisional Council of Chiefs said that his people are peace loving, and have never developed territorial ambition.
He recalled that on the 28th day of March, 1958, the Supreme Court in suit No FSC 123/1957 gave a verdict in a case between Okrika of which Ogu is part and Eleme. According to Chief Ibiorika, in the said ruling the Supreme Court awarded 1000ft from the high water marked by 27 miles long to the Okrikans, “that is from Akpajo to Tamuno-Ama covering 101, settlements”.
The Chairman of Ogu Divisional Council of Chiefs told journalists that “the people of Ekporo were settled in their present location by Ogu people. They migrated from Ogoloma in Onne. They suffered ritual banishment. Infact, they were refused acceptance by Ebubu people who are their kiths and kins. They came to Ogu through one of our elders who introduced them to our forebears. In our spirit of magnanimity, our forebears accepted and kept them on an island called Oguchukwu. After a while, they complained of starvation as they could not fish and wanted a bush where they will farm.
This necessitated their location to where they are now”.
Chief Ibiorika said that until 1958, the people of Ekporo were paying tribute to Ogu people in form of harvested crops, “with their maidens signing and dancing in a procession from Ekporo to Ogu.”
The Ogu community pointed out the disputed area is that of the Settlement “99” in the Supreme Court judgment map which is among the 101 settlements of Okrika of which Ogu is part.”
Chief Ibiorika maintained that the Government Secondary School, Ogu is built on Settlement 100 in 1973, saying that the Settlement 98 in which the Police Station was built was donated to the Government by Ogu Community in 1976 and wondered why the people of Ekporo are always encroaching on Ogu land.
His words “In 1999, there was a crisis at the Refinery Gate, and unknown to the Ogu community, the Ekporo/Eleme people took advantage of that and moved to attack the Police Station in which some Policemen lost their lives. It was at this point the police, rather than asking for reinforcement made a tactical withdrawal and occupied the primary school in Ogu.
The presence of the police in the six classroom building has not been helpful for the school. Pupils Efforts were made to the police authorities and the State Government but that did not yield positive result, rather we were given unfulfilled promises”.
He said that the Ekporo town has no common boundary with Ogu rather Ogu community has a boundary with Nonwa.
“As far as we are concerned, the Supreme Court has settled the matter and there is no contentious area,” chief Ibiorika concluded.
The Ogu Community had earlier denied of killing a serving councilor from Eleme LGA.###
