Leaders of Diebiri Clan in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State have expressed their determination "to protect and nurture to its full potentials" the indigenous oil company—Kalm Marine and Petroleum Services Limited (KMPSL), while refuting claims of threats against the company allegedly alluded to the community by its management, stressing that the allegations were a "misrepresentation of facts".

In a press statement signed by Diebiri Clan leaders Reverend Samuel Ako, Mr Orubu Emmanuel, and Mr Henry Souware, the community reaffirmed its position as a critical stakeholder of PPL 213 inherited by KMPSL from SPDC West, original operator of the field (OML 42), while it disassociates itself from using force to address disputes of any form. 

The statement reads in part, "Our attention has been drawn to a Press Release by the aforementioned company, in which said publication, facts were misrepresented and claims spuriously made about our persons.

"We, the undersigned, wish to make it crystal clear, that Kalm Marine and Petroleum Services Limited, an indigenous oil company owned by a respected leader and an illustrious son of the Niger Delta, is ours to protect and nurture to its full potentials. This is so as Diebiri Community is critical stakeholder and a host to KMPSL by virtue of the fact that PPL 213 was inherited from SPDC West, fragmented to host PPL 213 and it is in line with the PIA Act. This is evidently clear as Diebiri Community is a major signatory to the land acquisition documents in SPDC West, (Ugbanabou Field) inherited by Kalm Marine PPL 213.

"We the undersigned leaders of Diebiri Clan, disassociate ourselves from any form of rascality or show of force in addressing perceived disputes of any form. This fact, KMPSL rightly alluded to, in their Press Release tagged “KALM MARINE AND PETROLEUM SERVICES LIMITED HAS CONDEMNED WHAT IT DESCRIBED AS A COORDINATED INVASION OF ITS OPERATIONAL BASE BY UNIDENTIFIED INDIVIDUALS CLAIMING TO REPRESENT A PURPORTED UGBANABOU FEDERATED COMMUNITY – DIEBIRI CLAN”. We want to reiterate that we believe in dialogue and not act of brigandage," they stressed.

The community leaders in the press statement vent their displeasure in the alleged claim by KMPSL management in designating them as an impacted community instead of a critical stakeholder, and stated that Diebiri Clan had never relinquished its position as a critical stakeholder to any other community or family.

"Diebiri Clan is the sole owners of Ugbanabou community, in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State. This is a fact that remains undisputed and verifiable. Another fact also verifiable, is that Diebiri Community signed majorly the land acquisition documents in Ugbanabou Field. Another fact verifiable is that Diebiri Community signed 99% of the land acquisition document for the expanse of land located in the entire Ugbanabou Field, hence it is an aberration to refer to our community as an impacted community. Note, the mention of Diebiri Community and not Ugbanabou Federated Community or Ifietongha family.

"For the records, we the undersigned had never attended a meeting with KMPSL or any of its subsidiaries by any other name / nomenclature and or community other than Diebiri Kingdom/Clan. Again, we make bold to state that we never had an invitation to attend any meeting or function be made to us in the name of Ugbanabou Federated Community or Ifietongha family.

"The meeting of the 8th of August 2023, mentioned by KMPSL in her Press Release, was made to Diebiri Community, (as a major stakeholder) then under the chairmanship of Mr Orubu Emmanuel, as was mentioned in the said Press Release. Mr Henry Souware, then Public Relations Officer of Diebiri Governing Council and Reverend Samuel Ako, a respected leader of Diebiri Clan, could not have been invited to represent any other organ, but the Diebiri Clan. We do not hold briefs for Ugbanabou Federated Community, neither are we leaders in Ifietongha family.

"In that meeting which held at the premises of KMPSL, on the 8th of August 2023, other members of Diebiri Clan were also in attendance. Whereas, Ifietongha family was mentioned by the then chairman of Diebiri Governing Council as a stakeholder in Ugbanabou community of Diebiri clan, we never relinquished Diebiri Clan ownership of Ugbanabou community to any family. Rather what we sort was for the family to be included in all negotiations process, so as to make for fairness and inclusiveness.

"It is rather appalling to read from the publication that Diebiri Community has been replaced with Ifietongha family and designated as an impacted community. We ask, why change the goal post in the middle of the game? One may ask further, could Diebiri Community as a signatory to the land acquisition document, forfeit her designation as a host community?"

Others issues of concern raised by the Diebiri Clan leaders in the press statement include the conducted Needs Assessment, the registration of a Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) and the inauguration of a Board of Trustee (BoT) by the company, all excluding Diebiri community, in what they regarded as "marginalisation" and "injustice".

"Another area that punctures the claims made in the said publication is in the aspect of the Needs Assessment carried out between October to December 2023, precisely at hotel Charles David Lot, on Airport Road, Warri. Worthy of mentioning here is that this exercise was carried out in the name of Diebiri Community as a Host and not by any other appellation. The questionnaire are there for reference purposes.

"We are shocked beyond words to know, that a Host Community Development Trust has been registered and Diebiri Community is conspicuously missing – this is the height of marginalization to say the least. What then happened to the Needs Assessment forms we filled, with our Youths and Women group? We see this as injustice to Diebiri Community and therefore we urge you to correct this manifest error. Diebiri Community remains a Host, as was clearly written on the Needs Assessment questionnaires.

"A lot was revealed in the press release by KMPSL, so that we only got to know from the said publication that a BOT was inaugurated on the 20th of March 2025. This is an aberration and slight to the host community status of Diebiri community, signatory to the land acquisition document of SPDC West, original operator of the field (OML 42), which is now fragmented to accommodate the marginal field PPL 213.

"Diebiri community did not relinquish her stakes to any family or entity. She remains a major host, thus she should be accorded her rightful place - which is a host community as clearly stated in the PIA 2021. So far no terms of compensation has been received in respect of the new acquisition from KMPSL. It should be noted that Diebiri community host status is not subjected to any form of ligation," the leaders noted.

In conclusion, the Diebiri Clan leaders requested for a stakeholders meeting between it as host community and the management of KMPSL to strengthen the bond existing between both and "aimed at addressing areas in dispute."

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