Boundary War Spreads As Delta Lays Claim To Three Oil Rich Communities

By Ayodele Oni

As Ondo State tackles Ogun over ownership of some boundary communities, Delta State has joined the territorial war as it accused Ondo of attempting to annex some of its oil rich communities.

It has vowed to resist any attempt by the Ondo State government to annex Opuama, Tsekelewu and Okirigbo communities of Egbema Kingdom, in Warri north local government area.

The Delta government maintained that ceding the communities to Ilaje east local development area in Ondo will not be allowed to happen.

Deputy governor, Monday Onyeme who doubles as the chairman of Delta state boundary committee, made the government’s position known at a meeting between leaders of the , Opuama, Tsekelewu and Okirigbo communities.

Onyeme assured other communities experiencing similar boundary issues that the state government is committed to protect them.

According to him, it was impossible for a state government to annex any community as the National Boundaries Commission (NBC) has clearly defined the various state boundaries.

“You have made your case very loud and clear about where you belong because you have been able to trace your history from the defunct Western region.

“Your facts are enough to convince anybody that you belong to Delta State.

“Delta has never dreamt of ceding any part or any community to other states, so, do not be afraid as government will do everything within its powers to ensure that the matter is resolved.

“It is good to know that the chairman of Warri North is from your community and four councilors who are representing your communities are also domiciled in Warri North and your votes are counted in Delta State, so, it is wrong for any other state to want to annex those communities.”

Ondo state had on Friday accused Ogun of attempting to take over some communities which belong to the state.

The affected communities, Irokun, Obinehin, Idigbengben and Araromi seaside, in Ilaje council area, according to Ondo state, have never been in dispute since the state government has firm control of the areas.

Early this month, the Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Noimot Saleko-Ayodele alleged that the Government of Ondo State attacked Ogun state citizens in Irokun.

Reacting on behalf of Ondo state on Friday, the commissioner for information, Bamidele Ademola-Olateju  declared that “This allegation is patently false and has become a pattern of alarming propaganda by the Ogun State Government as a strategy to reinforce their false territorial claim on Irokun, Obinehin, Idigbengben and Araromi seaside.

“The Ondo State Government is ever conscious of and irrevocably committed to the fundamental duty of protecting the lives and properties of its citizens.”