The youth, numbering over a hundred, arrived at the dredging work site on Tuesday morning and accused Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company Limited of defying the state government directive on resuming negotiations with the host community.
The placard-carrying youth who chanted Ijaw songs also accused the company of disregarding compliance with local, state, and federal laws and the project’s Environmental Impact Assessment.
The placards read, “SEEPCO comply with Section 12 of the EIA Act”, “IYC demand implementation of Section 236 of the PIA for Onuebum community,” and “We reject your non-compliance with Petroleum Industry Act.”
The Onuebum youths were led by the chairman and secretary of the Onuebum Oil and Gas Task Force, John Bailiff Egapekpar and Ebiitimi Egbenpere, respectively.
IYC chairman of Ayama Clan, Samson Insurance Lucky, said, “We were in Onuebum to counter the anomaly of the Sterling global in the areas of the non-conduct of EIA, the disrespect to the Onuebum community, and disregard for extant laws.
“We call on the company to resume discussions with the community and respect the relevant laws. The company has also rebuffed and shunned efforts by the IYC to assist in the resolution of the contentious issues”.
Speaking to newsmen, the traditional heads of the Onuebum community led by the Paramount Ruler, Kine Kobolota Osain, and his deputy, John Edede, said that despite the protest staged by the IYC and the youth of the community, the state government should call the SEEPCO to order.
Osain said, “When they invaded our ancestral land and desecrated our forest and burial sites, we retrained the youth against acts that will instigate quarrels. The company and its agents are behaving as if they are above the laws.
“What we are asking is for the company to conduct EIA and respect existing laws. Instead of complying, they embarked on divisive tactics. They have disregarded the community authority. We call on the state government to call the Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company Limited (SEEPCO) to order.”
He also called on the Federal Ministries of Petroleum Resources, Environment and Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission to prevail on SEEPCO to comply with the PIA, Environmental Impact Assessment Act and Local Content Law in line with industry best practices.
The Deputy Paramount Ruler, John Alpheus Edede, said, “They are operating without the community’s consent. We asked them to come and see the community, but they refused.
“We demanded the EIA and the work plan. But they ignored the community because we love peace and don’t want violence. They have continued to clear the project site, mounting perimeter fence, commenced dredging and are also dropping stones materials and blocking of the community’s economic creek without approval from the host community”.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Paramount Ruler on Political and Special Duties, Samuel Ogoniba, called on the state government agents to intervene and up their game in the intermediary role.
Ogoniba said, “We don’t want violence. They should prevail on the company to follow normal protocol and not ignore the community.”
Efforts to reach SEEPCO through their mobile line, +234 907 000 2300, proved abortive.
