Tension has erupted in Okpe-Isoko community, Delta State, following a reported crude oil discovery on land claimed by the Adhakpor family, which has rejected a purported lease agreement allegedly entered into with Sterling Global Limited without its authorisation.

The dispute centres on who has the authority to negotiate the use of the oil-bearing land and whether any agreement reached with the company can bind the family.

In a statement, the Adhakpor family said it had neither authorised nor mandated any individual or group to negotiate, sign or execute a lease agreement, memorandum of understanding (MoU) or related document with Sterling Global Limited concerning its land.

The family described the purported transaction as unauthorised and unacceptable, insisting that no person could validly commit its interests without an express mandate.

It said its duly constituted executives and recognised representatives had been empowered to handle negotiations and documentation relating to the land following a resolution reached at its general meeting on October 4, 2026.

The family consequently directed that all negotiations and transactions involving the property should be conducted exclusively through its authorised representatives.

It also warned prospective investors and other stakeholders against dealing with individuals who lacked its approval, arguing that agreements entered into without proper authorisation should not be treated as binding on the family.

The controversy has exposed a deeper disagreement over land ownership and the distribution of benefits arising from the crude oil discovery in Delta State.

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Chief Ide Abade, head of the Adhakpor family, told Sunday Vanguard that he had been arrested by the community leadership over his opposition to the purported lease agreement.

Abade said the family was preparing to seek judicial intervention, maintaining that people who were not authorised members or representatives of the family had no right to negotiate or enter into agreements concerning its land.

The family also alleged that a community leader, working with some residents, had introduced people who were not members of the family into the negotiation committee. It objected to their participation, insisting that only recognised family members should be involved in decisions affecting its interests.

However, the President-General of Okpe-Isoko community, Chief Fred Efeh, offered a different account of the negotiations.

Efeh maintained that the Adhakpor family was represented on the committee established to negotiate the proposed lease and said the disagreement stemmed from a dispute between two branches of the family over ownership of the land where the oil was discovered.

According to him, one branch claims that an ancestor divided the land among his descendants and that the portion containing the oil belongs exclusively to it.

The other branch, he explained, argues that proceeds from the property, including benefits from palm trees and other natural resources, should be shared among the wider Adhakpor family.

Efeh said the company involved in the exploration approached the community leadership and the traditional institution before negotiations began.

He explained that representatives of both branches were included in a negotiation committee after consultations, but some representatives subsequently withdrew, triggering the current disagreement.

His account contradicts the position of the Adhakpor family, which insists that those involved in the purported agreement lacked the authority to represent it.

The dispute therefore involves two related but distinct questions: who owns or controls the oil-bearing land, and who has the authority to negotiate a lease or other arrangement on behalf of the people claiming ownership.

The involvement of an oil company has heightened the stakes because any eventual development could have significant financial implications for the landowners and the wider community. However, the commercial terms of the purported agreement and the precise arrangements for sharing any proceeds have not been established publicly.

Efforts to obtain the reaction of Rotimi Bakari, Community Relations Manager of Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company (SEEPCO), were unsuccessful. Bakari reportedly declined to respond to questions over the telephone and requested that the correspondent visit his office in Warri for further discussions.

Attempts to reach the traditional ruler of Okpe-Isoko, the Ovie of the community, also proved unsuccessful as calls and messages were not answered by the time of reporting.

The family has threatened legal action, while the community leadership maintains that the negotiation process followed established procedures.

The dispute now places the focus on land ownership, community representation and transparency in oil exploration agreements in the Niger Delta, where access to petroleum resources can generate competing claims over land rights and economic benefits.

A resolution will require the parties to establish the ownership arrangements, verify the authority of those who participated in negotiations and clarify whether any agreement was validly executed.

Until the disagreement is resolved, the controversy surrounding the purported lease threatens to prolong tensions within the community and complicate efforts to reach an acceptable arrangement over the oil-bearing property.

A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake has struck Panama, injuring at least 27 people, damaging hundreds of buildings and infrastructure, and forcing evacuations in several parts of the Central American country.

The earthquake, which struck on Friday, October 9, 2026, was centred near Pitaloza Arriba in Herrera Province, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The agency initially estimated the magnitude at 8.0 before revising it to 7.7.

Panama’s National Civil Protection System reported that at least 27 people sustained minor injuries. Authorities had not reported any deaths or missing persons in the latest updates available on Saturday.

The disaster damaged more than 400 buildings and other structures, including residential properties, schools, healthcare facilities, churches, government buildings, hotels, bridges and roads, according to reports citing Panamanian authorities.

The provinces of Coclé, Herrera and Los Santos were among the hardest-hit areas, with emergency teams assessing the damage and working to reach communities affected by damaged roads, bridges and landslides.

In Penonomé, parts of buildings reportedly collapsed, including a tower of the San Juan Bautista Cathedral and sections of the provincial government building. A hotel was also reported to have collapsed, while falling debris damaged vehicles.

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Authorities reported damage to 142 homes and 188 schools, alongside other public and private infrastructure. The full extent of the damage was still being assessed, meaning the figures could change as more inspections were completed.

The coastal town of Tonosí, in Los Santos Province, was among the communities experiencing access difficulties. Health Minister Fernando Boyd said officials were exploring ways to reach affected areas by air where damaged roads made land access difficult.

The earthquake was also strongly felt in Panama City, approximately 200 kilometres from the epicentre. Residents and office workers rushed out of high-rise buildings as the tremor shook the capital, while hospitals and other facilities carried out precautionary evacuations.

Operations at Tocumen International Airport were temporarily disrupted, with some flights reportedly diverted as a precaution. Airport operations later resumed, while the Panama Canal continued operating without reported disruption to shipping.

A tsunami warning was issued for parts of the eastern Pacific following the earthquake but was subsequently lifted. Authorities continued monitoring the situation for aftershocks, with Panama’s geosciences institute reporting more than 80 tremors, including one exceeding magnitude 6.0.

President José Raúl Mulino travelled to Penonomé to coordinate the government’s response and urged residents to remain calm while emergency teams assessed the affected areas.

The country’s Education Ministry also announced the suspension of classes nationwide as a precautionary measure.

The United States offered assistance, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying Washington was monitoring the situation and mobilising resources and personnel at the request of the Panamanian government. Leaders in Colombia, Ecuador and Guatemala also expressed solidarity and offered support.

Despite the extensive damage and widespread evacuations, no fatalities had been confirmed in the latest official updates available on Saturday. Emergency workers continued inspecting buildings, assessing infrastructure and determining the needs of affected communities.

Authorities were expected to provide further updates as damage assessments progressed and more information became available about the earthquake’s impact.