The Chairman of Odidi Federated Community in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, Prince Preye Okrikpa, has warned individuals and groups against staging unauthorised protests in the name of the oil-producing community over the lingering Odidi oil spill involving Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited (HEOSL).
Key Highlights
- Odidi community leadership warns against unauthorised protests.
- Community demands immediate action to stop and contain the oil spill.
- HEOSL urged to clean up the affected environment and provide medical support.
- Affected residents are seeking compensation for pollution-related livelihood losses.
- Community wants HEOSL to engage the recognised Okrikpa-led executive.
- Leadership dispute is before the Delta State High Court in Warri.
- Community calls for regulatory and government intervention.
Okrikpa, who spoke through the Community Secretary, Comrade Clement Numa, said the community leadership would not allow the prolonged environmental crisis to be exploited for illegal activities or actions capable of threatening peace in Odidi.
In a statement signed by Numa in Warri and made available to journalists, the community leadership said it had become aware of a protest allegedly organised by individuals presenting themselves as leaders of Odidi Community, alongside persons from neighbouring communities claiming to act on behalf of Odidi.
The leadership maintained that any protest organised in the name of Odidi Community without the authorisation of the Okrikpa-led executive was “illegal and unacceptable.”
However, the community stressed that its position should not be interpreted as opposition to legitimate intervention over the oil spill.
Odidi Demands Immediate Oil Spill Response
The community called on HEOSL to urgently stop the continuing oil spill, contain and clean up the affected environment, provide medical support to residents affected by the pollution and compensate persons whose livelihoods have been impacted.
It also urged the oil operator to engage directly with the Okrikpa-led executive in resolving the environmental crisis, rather than dealing with individuals whose authority to represent Odidi is being contested.
Numa further warned that engaging disputed community representatives or taking actions that could undermine the ongoing judicial process could aggravate tensions and threaten peace in the community.
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Leadership Dispute Before Delta High Court
The controversy is linked to an ongoing case before the High Court of Delta State, Warri, in Suit No. W/102/2026, involving competing claims over the leadership and representation of Odidi Community.
According to the community leadership, the court has directed the parties to maintain the status quo pending determination of the matter.
Against this backdrop, the community urged HEOSL, government agencies, security authorities and other stakeholders to exercise restraint and avoid actions capable of complicating the judicial process or escalating the leadership dispute.
Community Seeks Government, Regulatory Intervention
The Okrikpa-led executive also called for urgent intervention by the Federal Government, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), NNPC Limited and relevant security agencies over the environmental situation.
It said appropriate regulatory sanctions should be considered against HEOSL if investigations establish any breach of applicable laws, regulations or court directives.
The community leadership also urged security agencies to monitor developments surrounding the oil spill closely to prevent the crisis from being hijacked by criminal elements seeking to exploit the situation or cause a breakdown of law and order.
The statement stressed that the environmental crisis should not become a trigger for further instability, insisting that the interests and welfare of affected residents must remain central to efforts to resolve the Odidi oil spill.
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