The discovery of oil in the borderline of Ilaje community of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State and the Ijaw communities of Itsekelewu, in Delta State is causing serious crisis between the two communities.
Already, crisis is brewing between the communities.
The Ilaje community has alleged the oil giant, Chevron Nigeria Limited of sidelining the community without appropriate negotiation with the people of affected villagers.
In a letter directed to the oil company and the state government, the Ilaje community urged the oil company to halt action on the acquisition plan as against the initial resolution and agreement over the issue.
The community through a letter by Blessing Omogbemi, called on the Ondo State government to persuade the oil company to shelve its plan of acquiring the land until the controversy surrounding the land is resolved.
The community vowed to resist any form of injustice.
It has therefore issued a seven-day ultimatum to the oil company to rescind its decision on the acquisition plan.
The letter reads: “We, Ilaje Communities situated along the borderline of Ondo State and Delta State, will vehemently oppose any clandestine move by Chevron Nigeria Limited to negotiate with the Ijaw communities of Itsekelewu, Opuama, and Itsekiri Communities of Ebokiti, Ugbege, Ototo, Jakpa, and Igbokoda without Ilaje Communities at the negotiation table.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Ilaje communities situated along the borderline are Orietan, Odun-Oyinbo, Ogungbeje, Beku, Yoren, Ebiwon, Gbenebite, Ubakana Ilaje etc. We (Ilaje borderline Communities) will not open our eyes to see any injustice against our Communities.
“We are law-abiding citizens. We cannot allow Chevron Nigeria Limited to push us to the wall hence we call on all the security agencies, which include, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Department of State Security Service, Nigeria Police Force, to call Chevron Nigeria Limited to order not to cause inter-communal crises among us, the Ijaw, Itsekiri and Ilaje.