Akwa Ibom Oil Communities on Edge Over Seaport 

Tension has gripped the coastal oil communities of Eastern Obolo and Ikot Abasi Local Government Areas.

This followed as the two councils draw battle lines over the rightful ownership of a stretch of land developed by the immediate past administration of Governor Udom Emmanuel for ships to berth at Ukpum Ete community in Ikot Abasi LGA.

Recently, it was gathered that some ships arrived at the port amid celebrations by residents of Ikot Abasi LGA, who expressed joy at witnessing the revitalisation of the port zone. 

This development, however, triggered angry reactions from neighbouring Eastern Obolo LGA, which also claims ownership of the area where a core investor, Sterling Petrochemical and Fertilizer Processing Company, currently operates.

Angered by the situation, Obolo youths, under the aegis of a socio-cultural group—the Obolo Youth Coalition (OYC)—threatened to deploy both official and other means to reclaim the land, warning of drastic consequences if Ikot Abasi continues to assert control over the riverine location.

Comrade Timothy Ichen, Chairman of OYC, and Uche Sylvanus, Secretary of the Obolo Clan Council, in a communiqué made available to journalists in Uyo, the state capital, on Wednesday, vowed to take reciprocal action if the alleged encroachment persists.

“The OYC has noted with grave concern and mounting anger the recent circulation of false, provocative, and misleading reports claiming that the newly completed seaport at the Liberty Oil and Gas Free Zone (LOGFZ) is located in Ikot Abasi.

“We refer to recent publications—including one circulated by ‘Akwa Ibom News Update’ and other government-aligned outlets,celebrating the arrival of the first ship on March 1, 2026. While we welcome the economic development this project brings to our shores, we outrightly reject and condemn the deliberate distortion of geography that attempts to rob Eastern Obolo of its rightful heritage.

“We wish to state categorically, for the avoidance of doubt, that the Liberty Oil and Gas Free Zone and the newly completed seaport are situated wholly within the territorial boundaries of Eastern Obolo LGA, not Ikot Abasi.

“This persistent misrepresentation is an insult to the peace-loving people of Eastern Obolo and a blatant attempt to marginalise our community and strip us of our rightful economic recognition,” the OYC stated.

However, in a counter-reaction, the Ukpum Ete Unity Association (UEUA), a socio-cultural pressure group from Ikot Abasi LGA, described the claim as “baseless, misleading, and a gross distortion of historical facts.”

Leaders of the UEUA, led by its President, Mr. Ebenezer Etukakpan, and Secretary-General, Hon. Emmanuel Ekwere, faulted the claim. They recalled that “it is an undisputed fact, supported by the WACA judgment of 1945, that the geographical area now known as Eastern Obolo LGA belongs to the Ukpum Ete Clan in Ikot Abasi LGA.”

They argued that “the creation of a local government through military fiat does not, and cannot, take away land and resources from the aboriginal owners.”

“We find it perplexing that the OYC would attempt to claim ownership and hosting rights over the Sterling Petrochemical and Fertilizer Processing Company located on Ukpum Ete land. These claims are not only unfounded but also a pathological attempt to rewrite history and usurp the rightful heritage of the Ukpum Ete people. We assert that the Obolo people have no legitimate claim to land and resources in Ukpum Ete.

“We will not stand idly by while our people are subjected to intimidation, false claims, and attempts to undermine our peaceful coexistence.

“We call on investors, including Sterling Petrochemical Company, to disregard the OYC’s threats and intimidation. We assure them of Ukpum Ete’s hospitality and commitment to peaceful coexistence.

“We also call on the Akwa Ibom State Government to treat the OYC’s threats as an affront to the prevailing peace in the state and to take decisive action against those responsible. It is imperative that individuals seeking to sow discord and unrest are held accountable for their actions,” the UEUA leaders warned.