Oil spill: Three hospitalised after alleged clash with soldiers

The people of Erhioke community in Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State have accused soldiers guarding an oil flow station of molesting them after oil spilled in the area. The flow station is operated by the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC).
The people, who spoke through the President-General, Matthew Oyibocha, said that two men and a woman were hospitalised after the community’s brush with the soldiers of the 222 Battalion, Agbarha Otor in Ughelli North Local Government Area.
This, according to him, resulted from the community’s move to confront NPDC on perceived irregularities in the attempted clean-up of the spill. He said:
“The spill occurred precisely on September 6. It damaged our ponds, farmlands and it is affecting our economic and social lives as a people. We reported the matter to NPDC, operator of the facility, which promised to address the issues.
“We were surprised to see a company on Wednesday September 17 coming in with youths from Otagbuwe in Kokori community to clean up the spill-impacted areas. “This is a spill that has not been reported to the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) for expected JIV to ascertain spread and impact on the community.
“The soldiers led by one Lt. Jatau, who claimed he was under the orders of the commanding officer of his unit to deal decisively with us, shot sporadically in the air, molested and injured our people who were compelled to start a protest.” When contacted, Commander, 222 Battalion, Lt. Col. Kenneth Chigbu, denied that his men molested at Erhoike. Chigbu accused the community of making false claims. He said: “One Choice Umode, lawyer to the community based in Warri, drew my attention the allegation.
This is not the first time I have related with him. He has been to my office on several occasions pleading that the community has grievances with NPDC and wants to shut down the facility. “I told him shutting down the facility would lead to altercation and violence. I told him to let us leave that aside and pursue dialogue.
“On several occasions, he listened to me but I discovered he stays in Warri and whenever these people perceive anything, they call and tell him and he comes running down to me and begins to talk as if he was on ground.” A senior external relations manager with NPDC, who spoke on anonymity, said that no farms or economic activities were impacted.
He said: “The spill is minimal and the spread is within the company’s right of way. I think the real issue is that the community has a divided leadership. And the immediate trouble may not be unconnected with the choice of the contractor to handle the clean-up. These internal crises are not helping our operations at all.”
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