Press Conference: SORON IBE-IJAW Condemns Alleged Attack on Gelegelegbene Indigenes at Edo High Court, Demands Urgent Investigation and Prosecution,

SORON IBE-IJAW KINGDOMS OF EDO STATE

PRESS CONFERENCE ON THE VICIOUS ATTACK ON GELEGELEGBENE INDIGENES AT THE EDO STATE HIGH COURT PREMISES ON THE 6TH OF OCTOBER, 2026

CALL FOR URGENT INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF OTEDO YOUTH LEADERSHIP

The leadership of Soron Ibe-Ijaw kingdoms of Edo State wishes to draw the attention of Edo State Governor, Security Agencies and the general public to the dastardly attack meted on Ijaw indigenes of Edo State including Archbishop Godwyns Soroaye, Mr. Edwin Ikinbor, Mr. Tena Donyegha, Friday Sode and others; who were at High Court 4 (Civil) to represent Gelegelegbene Community in a suit filed by Ughoton Community against them.

The assailants numbering over 50 with insignia of OTEDO YOUTHS led by one Osaze Amas Edobor and Uwadiae Iyoha trailed the victims and their lawyers from the Court room to the Court canteen at about 10:30 am after the court sitting and made videos of the lawyers and their clients for reasons best known to them.

They started perambulating the premises brandishing battle axes and short guns to intimidate and threaten the litigants and their lawyers who were on lawful duties in court.

It became worse when Otedo youths further trailed them to the exit gate of the Court and viciously attacked the litigants, forcing some of them into waiting vehicles in a bid to abduct them but for the timely intervention of the High Court security officers before the arrival of the DPO Aideyan Police Division, who brought the situation under control. The victims received various degrees of injuries, while some of them had their clothes ripped apart.

Our lawyers went back to the Court to report the incident whereupon the judge invited the Chief Security Officer of the High Court to confirm the incident which he admitted was captured by the Court's CCTV.

This followed an earlier mobilization notice on social media posted by one Stafford V.I.O Iyonmahan to mobilize Bini youths in their numbers to the court premises on the 6th of October, 2026 with intent to perpetuate violence on the Ijaws of Gelegelegbene, Edo State.

Prior to the incident, precisely on the 27th of September, 2027, another set of assailants led by one Iyamu Osaro who is the Chairman of Edo State Consumer Protection Committee and the purported president of Aguobasimwin Movement Worldwide trailed some of our leaders to Nigeria Union of Journalists press center at the GRA, Benin City while they were exchanging pleasantries with a fellow Ijaw man in the presence of Ogbeide Uhumnwose and other press men. The intention of Aguobasimwin Movement was clearly an attempt to harm Ijaw indigenes of Edo State.

In another instance, Mr. Uwadiae Iyoha a.k.a HIGHER MAN made an open threat on his personal Facebook page to assassinate Ijaw indigenes of Edo State. Evidence of this post shall be presented to the security agencies when needed.

We want to make it explicitly clear that we cannot be intimidated by Bini youths because we have the capacity to defend ourselves if attacked.

It is more worrisome that these youths could perpetuate this level of violence in the sacred temple of Justice which is the hope of the common man.

Bini youths cannot intimidate the Ijaws by any strand of imagination and the Ijaw nation will not fold its arms and watch the ugly trend of harassment and assault; added to the name-calling especially when they threatened openly to exterminate every Ijaw indigene of Edo State, one after the other including our lawyers.

We therefore call on the Governor of Edo State, the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Zone 5, Commissioner of Police Edo State and other security Agencies to arrest, investigate and prosecute the OTEDO YOUTHS' leadership for their actions on 6th of October, 2026 and to prevent them from unleashing further mayhem on unsuspecting innocent Ijaw indigenes of Edo State.

The activities of OTEDO Youths on the 6th of October, 2026 were covered by the Court's CCTV Camera in the security department and can be assessed by security agencies to aid their investigation.

Consequently, it is our belief that Edo State Government will rise up to the occasion and tame the excesses of these miscreants before the situation snowballs into full blown crisis.

The Ijaw nation will therefore protect its people by any means necessary if urgent actions are not taken against the assailants who are hell-bent on creating tensions that will lead to ethnic crises.

Signed:

Elder Edmund Tiemo

President SORON IBE Ijaws of Edo State

& Chairman Egbema Leaders of Thought.

High Chief Robinson Ogunkoruwei

Vice President SORON IBE Ijaws of Edo State

Toru-Ibe Agagha Esq

General Secretary SORON IBE Ijaws of Edo State

Comr. Freedom E. Atigbi PhD

Youth Leader & Director of Communication

SORON IBE Ijaws of Edo State