The Paramount Ruler of the Ogbotobo Federated Communities in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State has accused neighboring Letugbene community of carrying out a fresh attack in defiance of peace directives issued by the state government.
In a formal petition dated September 1, 2025, addressed to Deputy Governor Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, HRH Roland Y. Ehidewei, Pere-Opu-Oburu IV of Ogbotobo, alleged that youths from Letugbene launched a violent raid on August 29, 2025.
He said the attackers invaded the Peretorugbene–Ogbotobo waterways between 12 noon and 1 p.m., threatening residents with firearms and carting away property estimated to be worth millions of naira.
According to the petition, the assailants molested tenants belonging to Elder Buboudunor Balakumor of Ogbotobo, placed them under gunpoint, and seized logs of timber, a generator, a motor saw, and cash. The monarch alleged that the raid was led by the Vice Chairman of Letugbene’s Community Development Committee (CDC), Mr. Asari Idenbofa Abonti, alongside the youth leader, community security officer, and other unidentified youths.
The traditional ruler emphasized that the attack came only eight days after a reconciliation meeting held on August 21 at Government House, Yenagoa. That meeting, which was presided over by the Deputy Governor, had directed both Ogbotobo and Letugbene communities to maintain peace while the government completed its independent investigation into the lingering land dispute.
HRH Ehidewei said this was not the first time Letugbene had violated such peace directives. He recalled that shortly after an earlier intervention by Ekeremor Local Government Chairman Hon. Onniye Isaac, Ogbotobo suffered similar attacks. He alleged that Letugbene youths destroyed properties belonging to Ogbotobo residents in fishing camps, claiming ownership of the disputed land. Properties lost during that episode were also estimated in the millions of naira.
The monarch expressed deep concern that the repeated violence was threatening the fragile peace of the area. He noted that Ogbotobo is a peace-loving community but warned that continued disregard of government directives by Letugbene could result in widespread unrest. He urged the government not to allow the situation to spiral into a complete breakdown of law and order.
In the petition, the Paramount Ruler commended the Bayelsa State Government for showing commitment to resolving the land dispute but stressed that stronger measures were required to enforce compliance. He specifically appealed to the Deputy Governor, the Land Dispute Resolution Committee chaired by the Commissioner for Lands and Survey, and relevant security agencies to step in urgently.
Copies of the petition were also sent to the Commissioners for Community Development and Lands and Survey, the Commissioner of Police in Bayelsa State, the Executive Chairman of Ekeremor Local Government Area, and the Chairman of the Alabeni Rural Development Authority. This move, according to the monarch, was to ensure that all relevant authorities were aware of the risks posed by the latest incident and could act to forestall further violence.
The Ogbotobo–Letugbene conflict is part of a long-standing dispute over land ownership and access to natural resources in the area. For years, both communities have laid claims to fishing camps, farmlands, and waterways considered economically vital to their livelihoods. Multiple efforts by government officials and community leaders to broker peace have often been followed by fresh outbreaks of violence.
Bayelsa State, located in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region, has witnessed several communal disputes over land and resources, with such conflicts frequently escalating into violent confrontations. The state government has established committees and convened peace meetings in recent years to reduce tensions, but many disputes remain unresolved.
As of the time of this report, Letugbene community has not issued any official response to the fresh allegations made by Ogbotobo. The Bayelsa State Government has also not released a formal statement following the reported August 29 incident.
Residents of Ogbotobo are now appealing for urgent intervention to ensure their safety and protect their properties. The traditional ruler reiterated that his people were committed to peace but warned that unchecked aggression from Letugbene could destabilize the entire area.
The situation remains tense, with community leaders awaiting the next steps from the state government and security agencies to address the escalating conflict.
