The Edo State Government has taken steps to reclaim oil wells located in the Orogho community of Orhionmwon Local Government Area, which were allegedly ceded to neighbouring Delta State.
Leading the effort, Deputy Governor Dennis Idahosa visited the community on Friday, promising that the state would pursue all legal and administrative channels to ensure that the disputed oil assets are returned to Edo. The oil wells are currently operated by Seplat Energy Plc.
The visit, aimed at dousing community tensions, saw Idahosa meeting with local leaders, including the Odionwere of the community, Pa Odiase Omorogieva, as well as youth leaders and residents. He praised the community for maintaining peace despite the loss of what he called their “God-given mineral resources.”
“My visit is to allay the fear of losing their God-given mineral resources to another state, while the community where oil exploration and production take place remains underdeveloped,” Idahosa said.
He assured the community that the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration would collaborate with relevant federal agencies to restore benefits from the oil wells to Edo State, with the aim of accelerating socio-economic development in the region.
During the visit, Idahosa also inspected the disputed oil sites alongside Seplat Energy’s General Manager for Government Relations, Mrs. Adiza Gambati. He appealed for calm and urged residents not to take the law into their hands, stating that the matter would receive adequate attention.
Reacting to the development, Orogho community youth leader, Charles Eghaghe, welcomed the state government’s intervention. He recalled that royalties from the oil wells had been paid to Edo since 1993 when Shell Petroleum Development Company operated the site.
Eghaghe noted that a shift occurred after Seplat Energy took over operations, leading to the disputed ceding of the assets. He urged the government to urgently reclaim the oil wells and address the issue of youth unemployment in the area.
“We have graduates roaming the streets without jobs, while oil is being extracted from their backyard,” he lamented.
The move by the Edo government marks a significant push in the long-standing resource control debate between Nigerian states, especially in the oil-rich Niger Delta region.
