ANGRY Ijaw youths, on Friday took over Chevron Nigeria
Limited (CNL) Gas Pipelines Project after chasing away workers of the
international oil firm from their site in Abeteye, Escravos, near Warri, Delta
State.
This came as the Nigerian Naval denied giving approval to any firm to commence the evacuation of petroleum products from wrecked vessels that were confiscated for illegal oil bunkering activities in the Niger Delta region.
Youths who attacked the Abeteye site said they were protesting the recently renewed Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) between Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), Egbema/Gbaramatu Communities Development Foundation and the Delta State Government in which their community was allegedly, misrepresented.
They also claimed a lack of basic amenities in their community, which they said Chevron had failed to provide as agreed.
According to witnesses, angry youths, numbering over 500, stormed the site in which 16-inch Gas Pipelines were being constructed for Chevron from the Abiteye Flowstation to Escravos, seized it and chased out the workers.
The fierce-looking youths said they are not comfortable with the GMoU and their alleged foot-dragging of CNL in sand-filling of Benikrukru community, as well as such other concers as the pilling of the community, sweeping of the canals and their stake in the Regional Development Council.
According to them, the GMoU was signed without their approval.
It would be recalled that at the wake of the signing of the GMoU, members of the Benikrukru Community after an emergency meeting held November 13, sanctioned those who signed the GMoU and threatened to mobilise women and children in the days ahead to cripple the Abiteye Flowstation and other facilities of Chevron in their area.
The Friday event in which the multi-billion naira Gas Pipelines Project of CNL being handled by an indigenous firm seems the making good of the threat.
It was learnt that the protesting youths arrived the site with several boats and ordered all workers out from site but no one was hurt.
When contacted for his reaction, Chairman of Benikrukru Community union, Chief Jeffrey Ojogun claimed that act could have been as a result of a feeling that CNL was trying to cause disaffection and disunity in Benikrukru. He therefore implored the oil company to stop meddling in the affairs of the community in the interest of peace.
According to him, “Apart from the issue of the vexed GMoU.” the people “are demanding from Chevron the sand-filling of our community, pilling of the community, sweeping of the canals and our stake in the Regional Council.”
Efforts to get reactions from Chevron officials proved abortive as at press time.
Meanwhile, the Naval Headquarters, Abuja has denied giving approval to any firm to commence the evacuation of petroleum products from wrecked vessels that were arrested by the military for illegal oil bunkering activities in the Niger Delta region.
Making this clarification in a telephone conversation with our correspondent, the Chief of Training and Operations (CTOPs), Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogboi, noted that there was no truth in the claim by a firm, Fenix Impex Nig. Ltd., that an approval has been given to it for evacuation operation along the Delta Coastal area.
According to Ogboi, “we have not issued approval to Fenix Impex or any other firm to commence the evacuation of product from and seized vessel in Niger Delta waterways and we do not intend to, until the Directorate of Petroleum Resources (DPR) provided answers to very many questions we have asked them concerning this exercise.”
The naval chief further stated: “We have been asking DPR to furnish us with detail information as to the nature of the product in these vessels, estimated quantities, the destination of the evacuated products and hazards posed in the course of the exercise but up till now, we are yet to receive such information.
“We cannot therefore issue any approval to any company when we are yet to get these details, so it will amount to fraudulent act and mischief for any firm to come up to say the Navy has given it approval to commence evacuation.”
He described such claim as false, baseless and unfounded and advised security agents to be on their guard to ensure the arrest of any vessel seen on the waterways claiming to be on evacuation operation based on the approval from the Naval Command.
It would be recalled that in 2009, two vessels, MT Concept and Ezomo came up with similar claim of evacuating a seized vessel at the Warri Jetty but such approval was later discovered to be fake.
Investigation revealed that claims of evacuation can be used by illegal oil bunkerers to carry out their operations, as unauthorised firms can present such approval documents as a way of beating the watchful eyes security agents while embarking on oil bunkering.
This came as the Nigerian Naval denied giving approval to any firm to commence the evacuation of petroleum products from wrecked vessels that were confiscated for illegal oil bunkering activities in the Niger Delta region.
Youths who attacked the Abeteye site said they were protesting the recently renewed Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) between Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), Egbema/Gbaramatu Communities Development Foundation and the Delta State Government in which their community was allegedly, misrepresented.
They also claimed a lack of basic amenities in their community, which they said Chevron had failed to provide as agreed.
According to witnesses, angry youths, numbering over 500, stormed the site in which 16-inch Gas Pipelines were being constructed for Chevron from the Abiteye Flowstation to Escravos, seized it and chased out the workers.
The fierce-looking youths said they are not comfortable with the GMoU and their alleged foot-dragging of CNL in sand-filling of Benikrukru community, as well as such other concers as the pilling of the community, sweeping of the canals and their stake in the Regional Development Council.
According to them, the GMoU was signed without their approval.
It would be recalled that at the wake of the signing of the GMoU, members of the Benikrukru Community after an emergency meeting held November 13, sanctioned those who signed the GMoU and threatened to mobilise women and children in the days ahead to cripple the Abiteye Flowstation and other facilities of Chevron in their area.
The Friday event in which the multi-billion naira Gas Pipelines Project of CNL being handled by an indigenous firm seems the making good of the threat.
It was learnt that the protesting youths arrived the site with several boats and ordered all workers out from site but no one was hurt.
When contacted for his reaction, Chairman of Benikrukru Community union, Chief Jeffrey Ojogun claimed that act could have been as a result of a feeling that CNL was trying to cause disaffection and disunity in Benikrukru. He therefore implored the oil company to stop meddling in the affairs of the community in the interest of peace.
According to him, “Apart from the issue of the vexed GMoU.” the people “are demanding from Chevron the sand-filling of our community, pilling of the community, sweeping of the canals and our stake in the Regional Council.”
Efforts to get reactions from Chevron officials proved abortive as at press time.
Meanwhile, the Naval Headquarters, Abuja has denied giving approval to any firm to commence the evacuation of petroleum products from wrecked vessels that were arrested by the military for illegal oil bunkering activities in the Niger Delta region.
Making this clarification in a telephone conversation with our correspondent, the Chief of Training and Operations (CTOPs), Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogboi, noted that there was no truth in the claim by a firm, Fenix Impex Nig. Ltd., that an approval has been given to it for evacuation operation along the Delta Coastal area.
According to Ogboi, “we have not issued approval to Fenix Impex or any other firm to commence the evacuation of product from and seized vessel in Niger Delta waterways and we do not intend to, until the Directorate of Petroleum Resources (DPR) provided answers to very many questions we have asked them concerning this exercise.”
The naval chief further stated: “We have been asking DPR to furnish us with detail information as to the nature of the product in these vessels, estimated quantities, the destination of the evacuated products and hazards posed in the course of the exercise but up till now, we are yet to receive such information.
“We cannot therefore issue any approval to any company when we are yet to get these details, so it will amount to fraudulent act and mischief for any firm to come up to say the Navy has given it approval to commence evacuation.”
He described such claim as false, baseless and unfounded and advised security agents to be on their guard to ensure the arrest of any vessel seen on the waterways claiming to be on evacuation operation based on the approval from the Naval Command.
It would be recalled that in 2009, two vessels, MT Concept and Ezomo came up with similar claim of evacuating a seized vessel at the Warri Jetty but such approval was later discovered to be fake.
Investigation revealed that claims of evacuation can be used by illegal oil bunkerers to carry out their operations, as unauthorised firms can present such approval documents as a way of beating the watchful eyes security agents while embarking on oil bunkering.
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