OSOPADEC distributes palliatives to Ilaje communities after Navy attack
From Tosin Tope, Akure Distraught residents of Obe-Nla, Obe-Adu and Obe-Jedo in the oil-rich communities of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State have begun to recover from the aftermath
- Agency rebuilds homes, distributes boats, beds, food items worth N400m
From Tosin Tope, Akure
Distraught residents of Obe-Nla, Obe-Adu and Obe-Jedo in the oil-rich communities of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State have begun to recover from the aftermath of a violent military operation, following distribution of relief materials to them by Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC).
The intervention, approved by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, was part of efforts to support the residents, who were victims of October 2025 attack, which resulted in the destruction of their homes, property and injuries across parts of Ilaje Local Government.
Speaking at the kick-off of the distribution of the relief materials at the weekend, OSOPADEC Chairman, Prince Biyi Poroye, said the motive behind the gesture was to ameliorate the suffering of residents, who were affected by the fight between Ilaje communities and Naval personnel stationed in the area.
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Poroye, who valued the intervention at N400 million, said the fund was approved by Governor Aiyedatiwa after a proper assessment of the attacks on homes, properties and goods of the Ilaje oil-rich communities.
He said the funds were deployed for prompt rebuilding of damaged homes, humanitarian support and provision of essential relief items to the affected residents.
Poroye said: “The N400 million approved was judiciously expended on tangible interventions. We cannot simply hand over cash without accountability and proof of implementation.
“The materials cut across construction of the damaged buildings. What the governor approved for was N400 million and this is what I am directed to spend.
“You cannot just hand over money to people and somebody will come tomorrow and say where are the proofs? This is what you have seen.”
He noted that OSOPADEC had embarked on wider infrastructural interventions in oil-producing communities, including completion of jetties, rehabilitation of long-abandoned projects, renovation of schools and upgrade of health care facilities such as Agadagbo Hospital.
Chairman of OSOPADEC Palliative Committee, Ola Judah, said the intervention covered the building of 12-bedroom housing units, rehabilitation of 14 existing homes and provision of fishing boats.
He added that others included Yamaha outboard engines, a modern bakery and distribution of household items including beds and food supplies.
He noted that the relief programme was designed to restore stability and support economic recovery in the affected areas.
“To stimulate local economic recovery, we have provided 15 Yamaha outboard engines, 13 fishing boats, and established a modern bakery.
“We also distributed essential house items, including more than 50 beds, foodstuffs such as rice, garri and other household materials,” Judah said.
Lauding the state government for the intervention, one of the residents and a beneficiary, Mr Okunomosoye Obadiah, described the intervention as very timely and supportive.
He, however, appealed to the government to hasten completion of the ongoing housing projects and construction, in order to fully restore displaced families.
“We are happy with what Governor Aiyedatiwa and the chairman of OSOPADEC have done for us because what the Naval officers did to our communities is bad. We really appreciate the governor for his effort to bring us relief materials.
“We want to plead to the government to hasten the completion of the houses affected so that we can have where to place the palliative materials provided.”
The distribution of the palliative materials came barely three months after the aggrieved residents protested delay in the release of the relief fund approved for them after the attack on their communities by personnel of Nigeria Navy.
The residents besieged the Oba Ile office of the OSOPADEC in Akure, accusing the commission of withholding the fund meant to cushion their losses.
The communities had last year accused operatives of Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Igbokoda of attacks that allegedly left their houses destroyed and residents injured.
Obe Nla, one of the affected communities, is the hometown of Governor Aiyedatiwa.
They, however, petitioned the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 17, Akure, accusing the naval officers of invading their communities on October 19, 2025, harassing and setting their properties ablaze, and inflicting injuries on several persons.
The petition, written on behalf of the affected residents by Ilaje Omuro Worldwide Connect, was signed by their solicitor, Obayem Williams of J. W. Obayemi & Co. It described the attack as a “lawless and militarised operation” that mirrored a war-style assault.
