The Umuseti Community in Delta State has voiced strong support for Axxela’s multi-billion gas project, emphasizing the urgent need to address the issue of gas flaring while also reaffirming its ownership of the land purchased by the company for the project.
The community, led by High Chief Emmanuel Akpe, rejected recent claims by the Emu Ebendo community regarding the land’s ownership, calling these protests a strategic move by Xenergi Oil Company to monopolize gas supply in the region.
Addressing the media, High Chief Akpe expressed the community’s firm stance on the land dispute and dismissed the claims raised by Emu Ebendo. According to Akpe, this is not the first time such challenges have arisen.
He recalled a similar dispute in 2014, when Xenergi Oil Company tried to assert ownership over a parcel of land within the Umuseti territory. At that time, the Kwale High Court ruled in favor of Umuseti in a case (Suit No. HCK/24/2015), acknowledging the community’s evidence of ownership and dismissing claims against them.
The ruling was further upheld by the Court of Appeal in Benin (CA/B/358/2016), with costs awarded against Xenergi, ensuring that the Umuseti Community’s rights were recognized.
High Chief Akpe emphasized that the Umuseti Community remains steadfast in its support for Axxela’s gas project, which he said would help curb the long-standing environmental issues caused by gas flaring in the area.
“Axxela’s operations will significantly reduce the harmful effects of gas flaring that have plagued our community for years. It will also create vital employment opportunities and generate revenue for both the state and federal governments,” Akpe stated.
He further accused Xenergi of using the Emu Ebendo community as a pawn in an attempt to monopolize the region’s gas supply, adding that such actions are detrimental to the peaceful coexistence and economic growth of the area.
In a formal response to recent claims by protesters from Emu Ebendo, Akpe reiterated that the land in question, located in the Oluji area, has been in the possession of the Umu-Mgbor family of Umuseti for generations.
Historical records show that the Umuseti community has developed and inhabited the area for over a century, engaging in agriculture and other economic activities long before Axxela’s involvement in 2024.
Axxela, according to Akpe, had conducted comprehensive due diligence before purchasing the land. The company consulted relevant families, local authorities, government agencies, and other stakeholders, ensuring that all compensation for economic crops was paid to the Umu-Mgbor family, with no objections raised at the time.
“We are shocked by the baseless claims from Emu Ebendo, which are grounded in a Supreme Court judgment involving Obodougua, a matter in which Umuseti was never a party. Therefore, we are not bound by its ruling,” Akpe concluded.
The Umuseti Community remains resolute in its commitment to ensuring that justice prevails, urging all parties to respect the rule of law and work towards a peaceful and prosperous future for the region.
