- Army confiscate four AK-47, arrest two
- Natives appeal for urgent govt intervention, panel of inquiry
- Say military presence only around oil facilities
By Jimitota Onoyume , Assistant News Editor
Fear hangs in the salty air of Ugborodo, in the oil-rich Itsekiri community, also known as Excravos, in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, like a stubborn cloud that refuses to clear. Anxiety has gradually replaced the once familiar rhythm of communal life.
For more than two years, the community has remained trapped in a cycle of tension, allegations, sporadic violence and deepening mistrust, forcing many residents to flee their ancestral homes in search of safety. Some indigenes alleged they were not merely displaced by fear, but deliberately driven out by powerful interests who viewed them as threats to activities in the area.
Army’s arrest
The latest development came days ago when the Nigerian Army announced the recovery of four AK-47 rifles and the arrest of two suspects in Ogidigben, one of the quarters in Ugborodo.
The Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 63 Brigade, Asaba, Captain Shuaib Bawa-Rijau, disclosed in a statement that troops moved into the community following reports of sporadic gunfire and rising insecurity
According to him, the operation led to the recovery of four AK-47 rifles, six magazines, 106 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, knives, machetes and rain boots.
The statement read: “Troops of Headquarters 63 Brigade/Sector 1, Joint Task Force, South-South, Operation DELTA SAFE, recorded significant operational successes following reports of sporadic shooting in the community”.
The Brigade Commander, Brigadier General Moronfolu Shonibare, while commending the troops, charged them to sustain the pressure against criminal elements threatening peace in the area.
Beyond Military operation
But beyond the Military operation lies a deeper story, one woven with grief, suspicion, displacement and an unsettling fear that peace may be slipping farther away from the creekside community.
Residents still speak in hushed tones about the December 2025 killing of a young indigene, Mr. Emiko Onuwaje, who was reportedly shot dead under controversial circumstances. Before the dust from his death could settle, another tragedy struck. The home of Chief John Okpeyor, alongside valuables and a vehicle, was razed in what community sources described as a sponsored arson attack in Ogidigben.
To many residents, the incidents marked another painful chapter in a crisis that has steadily fractured relationships and deepened divisions within the once closely-knit community.
Ironically, Ugborodo is not just another Delta community. Beneath its troubled soil lies enormous economic significance. The area hosts major oil and gas installations belonging to Chevron Nigeria Limited and other international oil companies whose operations contribute immensely to Nigeria’s oil revenue.
Yet, while crude oil flows steadily from the creeks, peace appears increasingly scarce among the people who call the land home.
Sporadic shooting
During the Easter celebration earlier this year, when Christians across the country gathered to commemorate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, residents of Ugborodo said they spent hours under fear as gunshots reportedly echoed across the community.
In a video that later went viral, a resident, Mr. Erewa Sheriff, alleged that the shootings lasted for several hours, sending panic across the area.
When contacted by Vanguard, Secretary of the Ugborodo Community Management Committee, UCMC, Mr. Besidone Eyengho, confirmed the incident but maintained that no life was lost. He added that about six persons were arrested and weapons allegedly recovered by security operatives.
Open letter to government
Amid the growing concerns, the Chairman of the Governing Council of Ugborodo Community Trust, Mr. Joseph Olori, appealed to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to urgently constitute an independent panel of inquiry to investigate the lingering crisis.
In an open letter to the governor, the council called for a probe into allegations of violent invasion, murder, arson, abuse of traditional authority and the displacement of indigenes.
The letter read: “In view of these deeply troubling developments, we respectfully urge Your Excellency to intervene decisively in the interest of peace, justice and the rule of law”.
Perhaps the most troubling concern raised by the council was the alleged mass displacement of youths from the community. According to Olori, more than 80 percent of Ugborodo youths have allegedly fled the area due to intimidation and insecurity, a development he warned could have serious implications for democratic participation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“With the 2027 elections approaching, many citizens may be unable to participate in voter registration and other electoral processes,” he warned, describing the situation as a dangerous erosion of democratic rights.
Community kicks
But in a sharp counter-position, the Ugborodo Community Management Committee insisted that the community remains peaceful and has witnessed unprecedented unity and development under the current traditional and administrative leadership.
The committee, in its own open letter signed by Secretary Besidone Eyengho and others, stated that Ugborodo had enjoyed stability in the last five years under the leadership of the Eghare-Aja of Ugborodo, Eghare Daniel Odoko Uwawah, and the Emmanuel Onuwaje-led UCMC inaugurated in July 2025.
Caught between the conflicting narratives are ordinary residents, many of whom simply want an end to the crisis and a return to normal life.
Several community members who spoke to Vanguard said only an independent panel of inquiry could uncover the true causes of the unrest and chart a path toward reconciliation and lasting peace.
Their fears were reiterated recently by the Voice of Warri Women Kingdom Initiative, led by Mrs. Vivian Mene, whose members staged a peaceful protest at the palace of the Olu of Warri, appealing for urgent government intervention. Mrs. Mene alleged that residents were being harassed and that the crisis was gradually crippling economic activities in the area.
Meanwhile, some community sources alleged that security deployments in the area were focused largely on protecting oil and gas facilities, leaving residents vulnerable. Though the claim could not be independently verified, the perception itself reflects the growing distrust among sections of the community.
One resident, who pleaded anonymity for fear of victimisation, appealed for the deployment of “patriotic security operatives.”
“They only moved troops to protect company operations and not the entire community. We need security men who will do the right thing and not work for those using them,” the source alleged.
For now, Ugborodo remains a community standing at a crossroads : rich in oil, but weighed down by fear; strategically important to the nation’s economy, yet haunted by insecurity and internal divisions.
Perhaps, as many residents insist, only an impartial inquiry can separate truth from propaganda, identify those fueling the crisis and offer the troubled community a genuine pathway to enduring peace.
