National News – Hundreds of Ijaw youths on Monday gathered at the Federal High Court in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, in support of a legal action seeking greater resource control for oil-producing states and the creation of additional local government areas (LGAs) for Bayelsa.
The youths, dressed in white and singing solidarity songs, assembled outside the court premises as proceedings began in suits instituted by the Supreme Egbesu Assembly (SEA), a prominent Ijaw advocacy group. Security and court officials restricted the protesters to a designated area outside the courtroom to ensure order during the hearing.
The suits, numbered FHC/YNG/CS/63/2026 and FHC/YNG/CS/64/2026, are seeking the creation of 25 new local government areas in Bayelsa State and enhanced control of natural resources by oil-producing states. The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and the National Assembly are listed as defendants.
During Monday’s proceedings, Justice Ayo Emmanuel adjourned the matter until July 1, 2026, to allow for the hearing of applications filed by the defendants, who were absent from court.
Speaking after the sitting, counsel to the Supreme Egbesu Assembly, E.K. Okorodas, disclosed that the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation had filed a counter-affidavit challenging the resource control suit but failed to appear for the hearing.
“Today was scheduled for hearing, and the Attorney-General’s office has filed a counter-affidavit on the issue of resource control. However, they were not represented in court,” he said.
Okorodas explained that the plaintiffs had responded by filing a further and better affidavit, alongside a reply on points of law addressing issues raised by the AGF.
He further noted that the defendants had yet to file any processes in the suit concerning the creation of additional LGAs despite the expiration of the stipulated timeframe.
“In the interest of justice and fair hearing, the court granted a further adjournment to July 1 to hear the application,” he added.
The legal action follows years of agitation by the Supreme Egbesu Assembly, which argues that the Ijaw people have been subjected to longstanding political and economic inequalities.
Also speaking, the Assembly’s Secretary-General and pioneer President of the , Dr. Felix Tuodolo, said the group turned to the courts after years of protests failed to yield results.
“We have consistently demanded resource control and additional local government areas through peaceful protests in Yenagoa, Port Harcourt and Warri. Having exhausted those avenues, we are now pursuing legal means,” he said.
Tuodolo urged the government to address the issues raised in the suits, warning that continued neglect could deepen frustration among younger activists.
He also warned against any political arrangements in Rivers State that, in his view, seek to marginalise the Ijaw people.
“The Supreme Egbesu Assembly will not sit back and watch any political forces treat the Ijaw people as second-class citizens in Rivers State. Any political party that undermines the interests of the Ijaw people will not enjoy their support. We are monitoring developments closely and will respond at the appropriate time,” he stated.
The group is also pursuing a separate case before the , challenging Nigeria’s involvement in the Morocco–Nigeria Gas Pipeline project.
