“SEA Drags FG to Court, Demands 24 New LGAs, Declares ‘Ijaw Resources Not for Abuja Control’”
By Passman Akpos
The Supreme Egbesu Assembly (SEA) has taken legal action against the National Assembly of Nigeria and the Federal Government of Nigeria over what it described as longstanding neglect of demands for the creation of additional local government areas and full resource control in Ijaw land.
In a press statement issued on April 21, 2026, and made available to journalists, the group disclosed that it has filed suits at the Federal High Court Yenagoa following the expiration of a 21-day ultimatum earlier given to federal authorities.
According to the statement, SEA had on February 12 formally written to the federal government and the National Assembly, demanding the creation of 24 additional local government areas in Bayelsa State, alongside reforms to allow greater control of natural resources by host communities. The group said no response was received within the stipulated timeframe.
“We promised to seek legal redress if our demands were ignored. Having received no reply, we have now instituted actions in court. The first hearing has already taken place,” the statement read.
The group argued that the agitation for more LGAs in Bayelsa predates the state’s creation, lamenting what it described as the “deliberate refusal” by federal lawmakers to amend relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria despite claims that constitutional requirements have been met.
SEA further decried the current structure, noting that Bayelsa, an oil-producing state, operates with only eight local government areas. It maintained that the state’s 24 Rural Development Authorities could be upgraded to full LGAs to ensure fair allocation of resources and grassroots development.
On resource control, the group said its legal action represents a continuation of decades-long agitation by the Ijaw people. It argued that Nigeria must return to a system where regions manage their resources and contribute agreed percentages to the national purse, as was practiced in earlier republics.
“Nigeria can no longer operate a system where contributors to the national coffers are denied control over their resources,” the statement added, describing the current arrangement as economic marginalization of oil-bearing communities.
The assembly called on Ijaw stakeholders and Niger Delta groups to rally support by attending court proceedings and sustaining advocacy for what it termed “economic freedom and justice.”
The statement was jointly signed by SEA representatives including Felix Tuodolo, Weri Digifa, Ebi Waribigha, Kabowei Akamade, Rosebella Jackson, Thomas Jacklloyd, Primrose Kpokposei, David Imole, and Welman Warri.
