The Supreme Egbesu Assembly (SEA) has instituted legal action against the Federal Government and the National Assembly, challenging issues surrounding the creation of additional local government areas in Bayelsa State and the control of natural resources in the Niger Delta.

In a statement dated April 21, 2026, the group said it filed the suit at the Federal High Court in Yenagoa after a 21-day ultimatum it issued to federal authorities expired without any response.

The Assembly argued that its demand for the creation of 24 new local government areas in Bayelsa dates back to before the state was created. It described the current structure of only eight local councils as inadequate and unjustified, especially given the state’s status as a major oil-producing region.

According to the group, Bayelsa already operates 24 rural development authorities, which it believes can be upgraded to full local government status. It said such a move would improve access to federal allocations and promote development at the grassroots level.

Beyond the issue of local councils, the SEA also renewed its call for greater resource control by oil-producing communities. It maintained that regions producing natural resources should have a stronger say in managing them.

The group pointed to Nigeria’s former regional system, where producing areas retained control of resources and remitted agreed portions to the central government, suggesting that such an arrangement should be reconsidered.

It further urged Ijaw communities, stakeholders in the Niger Delta, and other interested parties to support the legal action by attending court proceedings and backing what it described as a push for fairness and economic justice.

The case has already been mentioned in court in Yenagoa and is expected to address key constitutional questions relating to local government creation and resource ownership within Nigeria’s federal structure.