25 November 2014, Warri – The people of Sokebolou and Yokiri communities in Ogulagha Kingdom, Burutu Local Government Area, Delta State, have vowed to resist with the last drop of their blood, any attempt by Delta and Federal Governments to leave them out in the process of acquisition of land and naming of the Export Processing Zone, EPZ project.
They warned that no portion of Sokebolou and Yokiri communities’ lands would be allowed to be used for the project without their consent.
The people of Sokebolou and Yokiri communities, during a protest said that they were forced to take to the street because they were left out of those invited for a dialogue at Abuja to proffer solution to the problems bedeviling the EPZ project.
Mr Abanre Friday and Mr Samuel Powoide, Chairmen of Sokebolou and Yokiri communities respectively, said: “The Sokebolou and Yokiri Federated Communities of Ogulagha Kingdom, along with their other communities of Agbromagbene, Bomoupetepete, Oloseimo-ere and Adedegbene are important stakeholders whose lands are part of the area for the proposed EPZ project.
“We want to inform the whole world that the officials of the Delta State Government of Itsekiri origin have failed to perform their duties and rather continued to pursue an Itsekiri agenda capable of upturning the existing peace in our area.
“We are, therefore, opposed to the naming of the EPZ project after only the Itsekiri enclave without the necessary recognition of the right of the Ijaws of Ogulagha and Gbaramatu. We the people of Ogulagha Kingdom are equal stakeholders and want everybody to know that any decision taken on the naming of EPZ without our input shall not be binding on us.”
– Vanguard