On Sunday, August 3, 2014 angry youths from 3 communities in Bayelsa state forcefully stunted operations at 5 oil wells in the state.
Sighting neglect, the angry youths closed down oil wells 3,6,8,11 and 12 which are run by the Nigerian Agip Oil company.
The incident which occurred in Yenogoa local government area of the state affected the Idu oil wells which produces about 15,000 barrels of oil per day and is operated by the Nigerian Agip oil company, a subsidiary of Italian multi national company ENI SPA.
Thisday reports:
The protesting communities, Egbabiri I and II and Akudonu, carried out the action on Sunday, August 3, 2014 following Agip’s alleged refusal to provide a power generating set and other incentives for them one year after it promised to do so.
They were said to have erected blockades on the roads leading to the oil wells, chanting solidarity songs.
According to the Secretary of Egbebiri II community, Solomon Ogiama, the company at a meeting last April craved the understanding of the communities to supply the generator set in May but had failed to do so.
He said Agip had not awarded contract for the building of doctor and nurses quarters in the area which was part of a General Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) the company signed with the communities in 2001.
Ogiama stressed that the company had frustrated every peaceful move by the communities for the renewal of the GMoU, adding that they are tired of the antics of the company, hence the youths resorted to the action they took.
Beside, he disclosed that Agip had not paid for several surveillance contract jobs executed by indigenous contractors in the area for over nine months, adding that efforts to get the company to settle the debt had proved abortive.
“Why won’t we be angry with Agip? We don’t have light. We don’t have water. There is no borehole facility. We are not happy with the way and manner Agip is treating us,” Ogiama said.
He warned that until they hold a meeting with the general manager in charge of the district and the generator set provided, they would not remove the blockades they had mounted.
