We Never Attacked Akpata, Report By Gbaramatu Voice Newspaper Is Not True – Omadino Community

The Omadino Community in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State has come out to dismiss reports saying its youths attacked Akpata. The community recently blasted the report by Gbaramatu Voice Newspaper, tagging it false and misleading.

Reacting, the Chief Priest of Omadino Community, Roland Oti Yomere, said that it was, in fact, militants from Gbaramatu that launched their renewed onslaught on Akpata in Aja – Jelebe, Omadino Federated Community.

He revealed that the latest attack by the alleged Gbaramatu militants was not even the first in recent times, stressing that many people were killed and several properties were destroyed sometime last year.

According to him, the war started after the people of the Omadino community decided to go back to their lands to resume their fishing and farming business in the Creek, only for them to be met with an attack sponsored by Tompolo through Tantita Security Services.

“This is not the first time, but a recurrent attack. Sometime last year after the Warri crisis, people were killed and properties destroyed, our people left for safety of their lives.

After a decade plus, we Omadino people decided to go back to our lands, to start our business by fishing, farming and domestic activities in the Creek, only for one Sensor Oluba sponsored by Tompolo, through Tantita Security Services, to launch attack against us.

Houses were destroyed, Zinc, foams, foodstuffs as well as other property, were carted away, while some of our people were kidnapped and held hostage for hours ,before my intervention and that of other Omadino leaders, leading to their eventual release,” he said.

Roland shared that the community reached out to the Delta State government and the Federal Government to intervene once the attack commenced, but the violence never stopped.

He disclosed that the report claiming that Tantita people were attacked by Omadino youths is very false, and it is only a plot from the enemy’s camp to seek sympathy from Nigerians.

He then insisted that the FG and Delta State government should call the Pubaul family of Makaraba and Gbaramatu to order asap, because they have been responsible for the back and forth between both communities.

“We called on the Delta State government and Federal Government to intervene as at last year, but nothing was done. We started our businesses again on a very small scale, on a low key, we were building structures there quietly until yesterday May 24, we were attacked at around 3: 00am, they raided our properties and burnt them down.

Also yesterday morning, we saw on tiktok the surveillance people also known as Tantita people claiming that they were building houses there and Omadino people attacked them, but that is not true, they are trying to seek sympathy from the public, Federal and State governments.

The truth is that since last year, we have been crying to the state government as well as the Federal Government to come to our aid. I remembere sometime ago even Tantita sent some persons through their office to investigate the matter, but till today nothing has been done.

We are still calling on the State and Federal Government that one Sensor Oluba, the Pubaul family of Makaraba and Gbaramatu should be called to order, they are responsible and this issue had been on ground, for example they have driven all our security surveillance that is working for Chevron from Makaraba field, before now, so who is deceiving who? The land is for Omadino community, we have a Supreme Court judgement to that effect, to the whole of that area, so how can I who is trying to go to a great length for my community that was destroyed a decade ago, be the one destroying our property? How come we cried to the state and Federal Governments last year. There was pictures and videos on social media to show for it, but till now nothing has been done, not even single meeting was held.

There was pictures of Tantita Security personnel who came there to invade our people headed by one Sensor Oluba and calls kept on flying to the extent that even Tompolo called to say he was not aware of what they are doing in the Creek. Now suddenly it’s now Omadino people that is destroying their property.

We are calling on the Federal government to investigate exactly what transpired , because those our lands,” Roland said.

Reiterating that it is not a crime to be a small community, the chief priest named Esugbo, Eyobe, Egwatie, Egwakporo, Akpata, Lolomi, Aja – Jelebe as areas Omadino people have used for farming and fishing for many years.

He concluded by urging the Federal Government to do more to protect the lives and properties of the Itsekiri people, noting that members of the Omadino community will never be forced to run away from their home.

“Esugbo, Eyobe, Egwatie, Egwakporo, Akpata, Lolomi, Aja – Jelebe, name them. These are where we dwell, farm and fish in the years.

If you go the archive of Chevron, NNPCL, from She’ll now NPDC, 90% of those accusations are done bu Omadino, so is it a crime to be minority?

We are calling on the State government, Federal Government and security agencies to come to our aid. We will not run from our lands, until they kill all Itsekiris, all Omadino people, we will keep on going to the lands, until Federal Government see reasons to keep peace and protect the lives and properties of the Itsekiri people, according to the oat of office that he took, because they(Tantita) are claiming land owners.

As at now, there is tension in the community, even our people can no longer sleep there,” he added.