Benikrukru Leaders Raise Death Threat Over Court Judgement Restraining Chevron’s Payment of Compensation 

Sylvester Idowu in Warri 

Leaders of Benikrukru, an Ijaw community in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State have raised the alarm over alleged threats from various militant groups and individuals from the Itsekiri ethnic nationality following the judgement of the Federal High Court in Warri that restrained the management of Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) from paying compensation to some Itsekiri communities in its Abiteye fields in the coastal axis of the state.

The Benikrukru leaders, in a statement issued yesterday and signed by one Thomas Benemeai, alleged that the Itsekiri militant groups were sending out threats to unleash violence and blow up the nation’s economic assets as well as death threats to notable citizens of Benikrukru community in the aftermath of the judgement delivered on January 31st, this year.

The leaders specifically referred to a widely circulated threat messages by a self-acclaimed General Iwedundun Akpakpa, leader of Itsekiri Defense Council (IDC) where he claimed that his kinsmen working at Abiteye Flow Station were given 48 hours ultimatum to accept they were Ijaws or leave the station.

They alleged that the militant group also claimed that the ultimatum included that all Itsekiris in their God-given land of Abiteye should leave the community within 48 hours and Deghele and Bateren Community will start paying rent to over a paid purported court judgements in a location in Abiteye.

The Benikrukru leaders wondered why IDC would issue such widespread threat messages if not planning to attack their community and individuals with the aim of unleashing violence having been dissatisfied with the judgement.

The Federal High Court sitting in Warri, Delta State, had ordered  Chevron to “discontinue payment of compensation to Ode-Itsekiri and Deghele communities.”

The judgement was delivered by Hon. Justice H. A. Nganjiwa, as a result of a suit filed by indigenes of Benikrukru community against Chevron, Ode-Itsekiri, and other defendants in the case marked FHC/WR/CS/49/2024.

Plaintiffs in the case, Pa. Kwekwewei Onimiyenmene, Pastor Paul Willie, Elder David Kiriodougha, Captain John Abase, Elder Dogood Ogoloru, and Madam Goldcoast Jimmy, on behalf of Benikrukru Community, had sought a declaration of the court to vacate the Consent Judgement, which was first entered on March 12, 1982, in several suits involving Gulf Oil Company (now Chevron), which had expired.

Listed in the suit were Chevron Nigeria Limited as 1st, David Mode Akoma, 2nd, Doris Odemi 3rd, Pa. Samson Amaola 4th, Steve Edema 5th, Henry Temisan 6th, defendants respectively (the 2nd-6th defendants are sued for themselves and as representatives of the Ode-Itsekri/Deghele communities of Delta state).

Also listed as respondents were Dr. Peter Etchie, Friday Etuwewe, Esimaje Henry, Olori-ebi Lugard Etchie, Isaac Etchie and Sunny Etchie are listed as the 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th, defendants respectively (the 7th-12th defendants are sued for themselves and as representatives of the Omateye family of Bateren community of Delta state).

The plaintiffs sought among other things the continued application of a 1982 Consent Judgment which they claimed had expired and is no longer enforceable, which hitherto governed compensation payments for the use of lands belonging to the Benikrukru community in the Gbaramatu Kingdom.”

The court granted the prayers of the plaintiffs.

Benikrukru leaders stated that apparently frustrated by the outcome of the suit, Itsekiri militias and other aggrieved individuals have threatened to unleash terror on their community, its leaders and indigenes.

To buttress their fear, they quoted an IDC statement issued by its leader, Akpakpa said thus, “Let it be known that Abiteye land and all surrounding lands (Deghele and Bateren) belong to the Itsekiris. It was the Itsekiris who leased the Abiteye flow station to Gulf in the 90s; all the documents are there. We, the IDC, will ensure that all Itsekiri land is protected at all times.

“In the coming days, we will cause damages that will not only be felt by the Delta State Government but will also be felt by the federal government of Nigeria. When this happens, both the state and federal governments should hold (name withheld) responsible for the bloodbath and economic losses that this will lead to in Nigeria.

“No Itsekiri child will be sent out of his land; the illegal community known as Kenyagbene on the soil of Abiteye will be brought down. Benikrukru will be brought down. This will be another round of the Okuoama crisis in Warri South West. It will happen. We shall all dance naked,” the faceless Itsekiri militant added.

The leaders said with the threat by the Itsekiri militant group, fears have gripped Benikrukru and its citizens following the threat by the group to unleash mayhem on the areas in protest against the landmark judgement.

Meanwhile,  a Niger Delta group, Movement for Peace and Justice in the Niger Delta (MPJND) has fingered a Delta monarch, as sponsor of the threat of violence by Akpakpa and others.

The MPJND, in a statement issued by its National Coordinator, Okejoto Ezekiel, said the Itsekiri king was the brain behind the planned action by his subjects to cause chaos in reaction to the outcome of the land dispute.

To exonerate himself, the group asked the monarch to come out clean by publicly condemning the planned actions and call his subjects to order.

Rather than result to violence, the group enjoined the Itsekiri monarch to prevail on his subjects to employ legitimate means to seek redress.

“The monarch should be held responsible if his subjects carry out their threats to unleash terror on Benikrukru community and its citizens. We should not forget the bloody Warri crisis in a jiffy. No group has a monopoly of violence. The Itsekiri king should call his people to order so as to clear the doubts that he is the one instigating and encouraging them,” the group added.

In the same vein, the group accused Chevron’s management of apathy towards the judgement by demonstrating lukewarm attitudes in carrying out the orders of the court as contained in the judgement.

MPJND further alleged that top echelons of  Chevron were having sympathy for the Itsekiri by alleged refusal to comply with the court order.

The group cautioned Chevron against partisanship, adding that, “Chevron must obey the judgement of the Federal High Court, Warri, ordering it to stop forthwith payment of compensation to Ode-Itsekiri, Deghele and other Itsekiri communities in the Abiteye fields.”

“It’s appalling that the management of Chevron is taking side with the Itsekiri in the legal debacle despite that a court of competent jurisdiction has taken a position by delivering a landmark judgment on the vexatious issue,” it added.