Residents of Idu Ekpeye community in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State have raised concern over the presence of stern-looking security personnel in the area, saying it has heightened tension.
The concern was raised in a statement issued last Friday by Tuduru Ede, SAN, who represents landlords from the community in a legal dispute with an oil firm over the Ubie Delivery Line. Ede alleged that several security agencies had been deployed to the community amid an ongoing dispute over compliance with a Rivers State High Court judgment.
According to him, the landlords won a judgment on May 5, 2026, in Suit No. PHC/3/2022 at the Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt, concerning the reacquisition of the pipeline. He alleged that the company had not complied with the court’s directive to pay the judgment sum into an interest-yielding account of the court, and called on it to obey the orders and let the judicial process run its course.
Ede also alleged that he received threats during a phone conversation in connection with representing the landlords. He said the dispute also involves long-standing concerns over the use of community land for oil operations and compensation for affected landlords.
He urged the company to resolve the issues lawfully and avoid any action that could heighten tension between the community and security personnel, and appealed to the Attorney-General of the Federation and the President of the Nigerian Bar Association to intervene and encourage compliance with the court’s orders.
The report notes that the circumstances of the reported deployment and the alleged threats could not be independently established at the time of filing.
