A dispute has erupted in Okpe-Isoko community in Delta State following the discovery of crude oil on land claimed by the Adhakpor family, which has rejected a purported lease agreement allegedly entered into with Sterling Global Limited without its authorisation.
The family said it did not give any individual or group permission to negotiate or sign a lease agreement, Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), or any other document with the company concerning its land.
In a statement, the Adhakpor family described the alleged agreement as unauthorised, insisting that nobody could legally represent its interests or commit it to any transaction without a specific mandate.
The family explained that its duly elected executives and other recognised representatives had been authorised to handle negotiations, official engagements and documentation concerning the land.
According to the family, the representatives were selected following a resolution reached at its general meeting held on October 4, 2026.
It therefore directed that all negotiations, agreements and other transactions involving its land must be conducted exclusively through the representatives officially recognised by the family.
The family also disassociated itself from any agreement or commitment allegedly made by individuals acting without its approval, warning prospective investors and other stakeholders against dealing with unauthorised persons.
It maintained that any transaction conducted outside the authority granted by the family should not be considered binding on it.
The family said its position was intended to promote transparency, accountability, proper representation, unity and peace while protecting its land rights and collective interests.
Family Alleges Irregularities In Negotiation Committee
The dispute has also raised questions about the composition of the committee established to negotiate the proposed land lease.
The Adhakpor family alleged that a community leader, working with some community members, introduced people who were not members of the family into the negotiation committee.
It strongly opposed the development, arguing that only recognised members of the family should participate in discussions and negotiations concerning its land and interests.
The head of the Adhakpor family, Chief Ide Abade, told Sunday Vanguard that he was arrested by the community leadership after opposing the purported lease agreement with Sterling Global Limited.
Abade said the family was preparing to seek legal redress, insisting that individuals who were not authorised members or representatives of the family had no right to negotiate or enter into agreements concerning the property.
He maintained that the family would pursue the matter through the appropriate legal channels to protect its interests.
Community Leader Gives Different Account
However, the President-General of Okpe-Isoko community, Chief Fred Efeh, offered a different account of the controversy.
Efeh told Sunday Vanguard that the Adhakpor family was represented on the committee set up to negotiate the lease agreement.
He explained that the disagreement stemmed from a dispute between two branches, commonly referred to as “gates,” of the Adhakpor family over ownership of the land where the crude oil was discovered.
According to him, one branch claimed that its forefather had shared the land among family members and that the portion containing the oil well belonged exclusively to that branch.
Efeh quoted the position of the branch as saying that the land had been shared by their father and that the portion where the oil was discovered belonged solely to them.
He said the other branch disagreed with that position, arguing that proceeds from the land, including palm trees and other natural resources, should benefit the entire Adhakpor family rather than one branch alone.
The community leader explained that the disagreement over ownership and the sharing of benefits had contributed to the ongoing dispute.
Company Approached Traditional Institution
Efeh further stated that after the discovery of the oil well, the company involved in the exploration approached the traditional institution and community leadership in line with established procedures.
He said he was present when the company visited the palace and the community to begin the necessary consultations.
According to him, a negotiation committee was subsequently formed, with representatives from both branches of the Adhakpor family included in the process.
Efeh maintained that the committee was established after the relevant consultations and that the family had been adequately represented during the negotiations.
However, he said some representatives later withdrew from the process, leading to the disagreement that has now escalated.
He added that the dispute was partly connected to disagreements over the composition of the committee.
The community leader’s account contrasts with the position of the Adhakpor family, which insists that the people involved in the purported agreement lacked the authority to represent it.
Sterling Oil, Traditional Ruler Yet To Respond Fully
Efforts to obtain a response from the Community Relations Manager of Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company (SEEPCO), Mr Rotimi Bakari, were unsuccessful.
Bakari reportedly told Sunday Vanguard that he could not respond to the questions over the telephone and asked the correspondent to visit his office in Warri, Delta State, for further discussion.
Efforts to reach the traditional ruler of Okpe-Isoko community, the Ovie of Okpe-Isoko, were also unsuccessful, as calls and messages sent to his telephone lines had not received responses as of the time of filing the report.
The dispute has brought the questions of land ownership, family representation and the authority to negotiate oil-related agreements to the forefront in Okpe-Isoko.
While the Adhakpor family insists that no valid agreement can be reached without its express authorisation, the community leadership maintains that representatives of the two branches were included in the negotiation process.
The controversy remains unresolved, with the family indicating its intention to seek judicial intervention over the disputed agreement and the ownership of the oil-bearing land.
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