The leadership of Ogbotobo Community in Bayelsa State has refuted allegations from Letugbene Community that a staff of Renaissance Africa Energy Limited, Mr. Shell Ibomoye, and a young woman were assaulted in Ogbotobo on September 12, 2025. The claims were made in a Facebook post by Letugbene Community Development Committee Chairman, Mr. Wisdom Alladin, who alleged that Mr. Ibomoye was attacked and forced out of Ogbotobo because of his Letugbene origin.
In a statement signed by the Ogbotobo CDC Chairman, Mr. Daniel Enoch, the community described the allegations as “false, mischievous, and damaging.” According to the statement, Mr. Ibomoye is not only an employee of Renaissance Africa Energy but also a well-known son of Ogbotobo Community who has worked peacefully at the Ogbotobo flow station for more than four years. Mr. Enoch stressed that no report of assault had ever been made against him and insisted that the alleged incident never occurred.
The Ogbotobo leadership explained that on September 12, a youth from the community approached Mr. Ibomoye’s superior and advised that the staff remain within the flow station for his safety. The youth was said to be unaware that the Bayelsa State Government had directed both Letugbene and Ogbotobo to maintain peace pending the outcome of investigations into their ongoing disputes. According to the statement, the advice was given out of concern that Mr. Ibomoye’s presence in the community could trigger conflict amid the fragile peace.
Mr. Enoch confirmed that Ibomoye’s superior accepted the advice and relayed it to him. The staff reportedly reacted by asserting that no one could send him out of Ogbotobo since he was a son of the soil. Despite his reaction, the statement said no individual or group physically assaulted him. He later left with his security team for the flow station without incident.
On the matter of the woman allegedly assaulted, the Ogbotobo leadership denied any such occurrence. The statement clarified that the woman in question was from Ekeremor and was identified as the girlfriend of a man described as a notorious criminal who had allegedly carried out multiple attacks on Ogbotobo settlements. Some community members, suspecting she might have been sent to spy, asked her to leave.
The Ogbotobo CDC chairman explained that local chiefs quickly intervened and handed her over to the police for protection since it was late in the day. She remained in custody until the following day when she left the community safely. Mr. Enoch stressed that the woman was not assaulted and that the community’s response was purely a security measure.
The statement accused Letugbene of fabricating stories to mislead the public, gain sympathy, and influence the Bayelsa State Government as well as the 11-man committee set up to investigate the root causes of the crisis between the two communities. Mr. Enoch claimed the allegations were part of Letugbene’s strategy to justify efforts to take over Ogbotobo ancestral lands.
Ogbotobo Community, according to the chairman, remains committed to peace and continues to provide a safe environment for Renaissance Africa Energy and other multinational companies operating in the flow station. He reassured the firms that the community would not allow false reports to disrupt their activities or tarnish its reputation as a peace-loving settlement.
The conflict between Ogbotobo and Letugbene communities has been a longstanding issue, with government intervention ongoing to prevent further escalation. The Bayelsa State Government’s directive for both sides to maintain calm is still in effect, pending the outcome of the committee’s findings.
