A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Tuduru Ede, SAN, has accused Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited of deploying multiple security agencies to intimidate community landlords in Idu Ekpeye Community, Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State, and of attempting to intimidate him as counsel to the community, in an urgent press release issued through Tuduru Ede SAN & Co on Friday, October 23, 2026.
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According to the press release, titled “Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited Is Intimidating Idu Ekpeye Community Landlords, Attempting To Intimidate Tuduru Ede SAN And Violating Order Of Rivers State High Court,” the company deployed multiple security agencies on October 23, 2026, aimed at intimidating the community landlords, who had won a case for reacquisition of the UBIE Delivery Line against the company. The judgment was delivered on May 5, 2026, in Suit No. PHC/3/2022, before the High Court of Rivers State, sitting in Port Harcourt.
Ede said the company has also “maintained several security agencies to intimidate” him as counsel to the Idu Ekpeye Community landlords, and alleged that he was threatened with “severe actions” in a telephone conversation should his clients fail to comply with the company’s wishes to continue working on the pipeline without first complying with the court’s orders.
The press release stated that the High Court of Rivers State had ordered Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited to pay the judgment sum into an interest-yielding account of the High Court of Justice, and that the company had not complied. “Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited should respect and obey orders of courts,” the statement read.
Ede insisted that the company “should and must comply with the orders of the Court,” and condemned what he described as the use of security agencies against the community. “Renaissance Energy Africa Company Limited should not be using security agencies to intimidate poor and hapless landlords whose lands it has been using for over sixty years without payment of compensation while it makes huge profits and despoils the land,” the statement read.
The press release recalled that Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited’s predecessor, the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC), had, “in pursuit of oil production and profits,” used what Ede described as “similar unwholesome tactics” in Idu Ekpeye Community in January 1982, alleging that houses were burnt down and murder was committed in the community at the time. “The Community members will not be intimidated a second time this time around,” the statement declared.
The law firm called on the international community, the Honourable Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of the Federation, and the President of the Nigerian Bar Association to “prevail upon Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited to comply with the Orders of Court,” stating: “That is the right thing to do. No more, no less.” The press release was signed by Tuduru Ede, SAN.
Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, headquartered at Renaissance Industrial Area, Rumuobiakani, Port Harcourt, acquired the onshore assets of the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited in a deal completed in March 2024, in which Tony Attah, former Managing Director of Nigeria LNG, became Managing Director and CEO. The company describes itself as a leading integrated energy firm committed to advancing energy security and industrialisation across Nigeria and the African continent.
The company has in recent months faced other community-related friction in Rivers State. The Rivers State House of Assembly ordered a probe into allegations that Renaissance neglected an oil spill that devastated the B-Dere community in Gokana Local Government Area, following a May 2025 leak along the Ogale-Bomu pipeline that a joint investigative team attributed to equipment failure.
Separately, the company faced protests from natives of Ukpeiliede community, also in Ahoada West Local Government Area, over contract and access grievances, with the company’s spokesperson stating that it remained committed to transparency and due process under the Host Community Development Trust framework established by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Host Communities Development Regulations, 2022.
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