Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The leadership of Oboro community in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State has firmly rejected allegations that its members abducted youths from the neighbouring Alagbabiri community in Ughelli South Local Government Area, insisting instead that three individuals were lawfully arrested for trespassing and stealing agricultural produce on Oboro ancestral land. The denial, contained in a statement signed by the community chairman, Mr Selebi Tarebi, and issued on August 17, 2026, described the abduction claim as "false, misleading and malicious," accusing the authors of attempting to portray themselves as victims while diverting attention from ongoing encroachment on Oboro's customary farmland and waterways.
According to the Oboro leadership, the incident occurred on August 3, 2026, when law-abiding members of the community apprehended some Alagbabiri youths who were allegedly trespassing on Oboro land and stealing agricultural produce, including palm fruits, cassava, and fish. The community said it chose not to take the law into its own hands but rather handed over the suspects, along with the recovered stolen items, to the Divisional Police Headquarters in Bomadi for formal investigation. "Choosing not to take the law into their own hands, the residents of Oboro peacefully handed over the trespassers, along with the recovered stolen items, to the Divisional Police Headquarters in Bomadi for formal investigation," the statement read.
The Oboro leadership further alleged that the abduction claim was intended to conceal the circumstances surrounding the arrest, while also accusing Alagbabiri residents of encroaching on its farmland and waterways. The community presented its account of the history of the land dispute, claiming that Oboro shares a boundary with Bomadi Community and that the founders of Alagbabiri were settled across the Forcados River by the Bomadi people. According to the statement, a boundary dispute between Bomadi and Oboro was previously adjudicated by the Native/Tribal Court in Bomadi, which it said delivered a judgment in favour of Oboro in 1951. "Oboro Community remains a peaceful, law-abiding neighbour committed to constitutional order. However, we will not fold our arms and allow our ancestral heritage, economic survival and food security to be eroded by illegal land grabs, agitators and media propagandists," the statement added.
The Oboro leadership appealed to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and the Delta State Commissioner of Police to intervene and ensure a transparent investigation into the matter. It specifically called for the transfer of the case from the Ughelli Area Command to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Asaba, for what it described as an impartial and thorough investigation. "We also call on the Delta State Government to call the leaders and self-styled agitators of Alagbabiri community to order, who should direct their residents to immediately cease all forms of trespass on Oboro farmlands and water bodies," the community said.
The Divisional Police Officer of the Bomadi Police Division, CSP John Emmanuel, confirmed that the three persons were brought to his station but said they were later transferred to the appropriate police division in Ughelli South. "Yes, the issue between the two communities was brought to my station, and the communities involved are not from Bomadi LGA," Emmanuel said. He explained that residents of Oboro had arrested three persons from a community in Ughelli South LGA over an allegation that they had stolen about 12 bunches of palm fruits. "The Oboro community people said they decided to bring them here because Burutu, the headquarters of Burutu LGA, is too far from here," he said. According to the DPO, the matter was transferred the following day to the Otujeremi Police Division in Ughelli South LGA for further investigation. The police clarification indicates that the three persons were brought to the Bomadi station following their arrest by Oboro residents, but does not support the claim that they were abducted.
The incident highlights the long-standing boundary and resource dispute between Oboro, an Ijaw community in Burutu LGA, and Alagbabiri, an Urhobo community in neighbouring Ughelli South LGA. The communities have been involved in a dispute over land and other resources, with tensions often flaring over access to farmland, fishing rights, and other economic assets. The Oboro community has consistently maintained that Alagbabiri residents have been encroaching on its ancestral land, while Alagbabiri has accused Oboro of aggression and abduction. The latest incident, which saw three Alagbabiri youths arrested for alleged trespass, has further inflamed tensions, with both sides trading accusations and calling for government intervention.
The Delta State Government has yet to issue an official statement on the matter, but the Oboro community's appeal to Governor Oborevwori and the Commissioner of Police suggests that it is seeking a formal resolution to the dispute. The community's call for the transfer of the case to the SCID, Asaba, indicates a desire for a more thorough and impartial investigation, free from local political influences. The police clarification that the three persons were arrested and handed over, rather than abducted, is a significant development, as it undermines the abduction narrative that had been circulating.
The incident underscores the broader challenges facing Delta State, where land and resource disputes between communities have often escalated into violent confrontations, leading to loss of lives and property. The state government has previously intervened in such disputes, but the underlying causes—competition over land, water, and economic resources—remain unresolved. The Oboro-Alagbabiri dispute is a microcosm of these tensions, reflecting the complex interplay of ethnicity, history, and economic survival that continues to shape the region's social and political landscape.
For the three Alagbabiri youths, the arrest has thrown their lives into uncertainty, as they now face investigation over allegations of trespass and theft. For the Oboro community, the incident is a test of its commitment to the rule of law and its ability to protect its ancestral heritage. And for the Delta State Government, it is a reminder that the peace and stability of the state depend on the fair and transparent resolution of such disputes, before they escalate into more serious conflict.
As the case proceeds to the Otujeremi Police Division and potentially to the SCID, Asaba, the people of Oboro and Alagbabiri await the outcome, hoping that justice will be served and that the cycle of accusations and counter-accusations will come to an end. The Oboro community has made its position clear: it will not tolerate trespass on its land, but it will also not resort to lawlessness. The ball is now in the court of the police and the state government to ensure that the investigation is thorough, impartial, and fair to all parties involved.
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