By joshua Gelegele Crisis: Group Calls On Gov. OKpebholo To Implement 1983 Supreme Court Judgment
By Ikhili Ebalu, Benin city
A Socio -Cultural Group, the Aiguobasinmwin Movement Wide -Wide, AMW, has called on governor Monday OKpebholo to implement the 1983 Supreme Court Judgment
to avoid further clashes and ensure lasting peace in the Gelegele Community in Ovia North East LGA.
The group added that, Gelegele has a historic seaport through which the British invaded the Benin Empire in 1897 and has been in the news over the illegal claim of ownership by Ijaw groups.
In a statement signed by Iyamu Osaro Culture – President, Uhunoma Ewere Lucky – Assistant Secretary and Monday Ohuimumwen JP- Diaspora Coordinator, stated that,
despite the 1983 Supreme Court ruling, there has been recent disputes between the Benins and the Ijaws in the Gelegele Community.
The Nigerian Post recalls that, The Supreme Court of Nigeria delivered a well considered Judgment in 1983 on the ownership dispute of Gelegele in favour of the Benins.
They stated that it is on record that oil exploration started in Gelegele in 1963 with Phillips Oil Company. Phillips later assigned OML 96 to Dubri Oil Company Limited in 1987.
According to them, “In 2019 and 2021 there were reports of clashes between Benin and Ijaw groups over ownership of the Gelegele community and the Ijaw do not have any land in Gelegele”. They stated.
Gelegele is located in Ovia North East LGA of Edo State, on the left flank of the Ovia/Osse River. Historically it is part of the Great Benin Kingdom. “Oba Ewuare the Great” opened the Gelegele seaport as Benin’s port.
Adding that, Dubri Oil Company operates the Gelegele Flow Station right inside the community, they state that oil company treat and evacuate crude from the Ovia and Gelegele fields there.
Historically it is part of the Great Benin Kingdom. “Oba Ewuare the Great” opened the Gelegele seaport as Benin’s port.
Since 1987, the Gelegele & Ovia fields have produced about 7.778 million barrels of light crude oil and 27.91 billion SCF of associated gas. Dubri operates Oil Mining Lease OML 96, 221 sq km southwest of Benin City, with its flow station at Gelegele.
The community has been dealing with gas flaring from the flow station for over 63 years, plus issues of environmental pollution.
“Therefore, to avoid further clashes and ensure lasting peace, we call on the Edo State Government to immediately swing into action and implement the 1983 Supreme Court Judgement on Gelegele”.They concluded.