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The people of Ugborodo Community, Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State, have told President Muhammadu Buhari that the recent visit of the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Ikenwoli, to him at the Presidential Villa was a sham, restating their total support for the establishment of the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko.
President Buhari last Friday, in Abuja, met the Olu of Warri and promised more development for the Niger Delta Region.
However, in a petition to President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, the people described the visit as a deceit aimed at covering up alleged atrocities carried out against the people of Ode Ugborodo on February 11, 2018.
The petition was signed by Hon Thomas Metseagharun (The Toritsemogha of Ugborodo Land) and Pastor William Agbajor (The Balogun of Ugborodo Land).
The petition reads: “Mr President, we the peace-loving people of Ugborodo Community want to let you know that the visit of the Olu of Warri and his entourage to you on Friday, February 23, 2018, is a sham and deceitful in order to cover up the atrocities committed against the people at Ode Ugborodo on February 11, 2018, by Chief Ayiri Emani, the Ologbotsere of Warri and his co-travellers who have been causing mayhem, arson, killings, vandalisation of property and looting in the area, with the help of illegal Military, Police, ethnic militias and hired thugs. Mr. President, they have brought untold hardship to the people and you have been deceived by the visit of the Olu and his entourage.
“Mr. President, there have been reoccurring incidents of this manner over four times in this Ugborodo Community where the Olaja-Orori, Dube Omadeli, is the head and leader of the people, where four persons- Chief Ayiri Emani, Chief Ereyitomi Thomas, Mr. David Tonwe and Tuoyo Omatsuli and their cronies will not allow our communities of Ode Ugborodo, Ogidigben, Ajudaibo, Mandagho and their environs to know peace for the past 13 years.
“These communities are underdeveloped because choice contracts such as Madangho to Ogidigben shoreline protection contract awarded to Chief Ayiri Emani, the Ologbotsere of Warri for multi million naira without execution and Ode Ugborodo shoreline protection was also abandoned. Mr. President, few persons who have turned themselves into money bags and political hawks are milking our communities dry.
“We, the people of Ugborodo Community are deeply worried over the way things are going. We are being subjected to unnecessary hindrances when God has blessed us so much. All agents of destabilisation should leave Ugborodo area alone. Chief Ayiri and his co-travellers disturbing the peace of Ugborodo should be called to order by the Federal Government.”
They called on the President to prevail on the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to investigate the raid on Ugborodo Community, allegedly masterminded by Chief Ayiri Emami, the Ologbosere of Warri kingdom.
They alleged that Chief Emami, in company of heavily-armed police, Army personel and hired mercenaries numbering more than 50, patrolled Ugborodo in gunboats and shot sporadically,causing panic.
They claimed that three persons were instantly gunnned down and others, in the process of escaping, sustained varying degrees of injuries.
They alleged, also, that the house of the Olaja-Orori of Ugborodo Community, Benson Dube Omadeli, was set ablaze on Ayiri’s instruction.
They equally alleged that the property belonging to the National Youth President of Ugborodo Community, Mr. Ofe Penda Nene, were destroyed and others set ablaze as those of Richard Arubi and Williams Agbajor were also not spared.
They claimed that Ayiri based his actions on the grounds that Omadeli declared himself king of the community, hence the raid on his people.
“Ugborodo is an autonomous community. We have been in existence since 13 AD. It is the oldest community in this area and we are not under anybody. The leadership of this community is under the leadership of the Olaja-Orori, under the leadership of Benson Dube Omadeli,” they added.
According to them, “Since the advent of oil exploration and exploitation in 1959 to date, the whole ecosystem, both land and water, have been polluted and degraded.
“Mr President, we are in total support of the Nigerian Maritime University already located in our next door neighbour of Gbaramatu Kingdom and this our support for the University is making those in Warri area to be angry against Ugborodo land and Gbaramatu Kingdom.
