Ondo oil community cries out over Conoil's threat to peace, security
In a statement by leaders of the
communities, namely Bonsuwe Ominidougha, Chairman, Ijaw National Congress, INC,
Akure, Ondo State Chapter, Pastor
Ebitimi Dio- Posibi, Chairman, INC, Lagos State Chapter and Dr. James Ashida,
Chairman, Arogbo-Ijaw Community Organisation, AICO, they called the
Federal Government to come to the rescue
of the jolted communities.
INC and the community leaders alleged that
Conoil Producing Limited was forcing itself into operations in the area without
adherence to the procedures and regulations guiding the Petroleum Industry Act,
PIA.
The body said that the movement of the oil
firm had caused serious threat to peace and security in the area.
The leaders lamented that Conoil blatantly
refused to directly negotiate with landowners, the Asere community, which is
host to the oil company’s planned operations despite all efforts.
They added that the action had generated a
lot of protests, which have been countered with brutal use of force and
intimidation.
They warned that the tactics deployed by
the company to arrest, detain and brutalize protesters, who were sons and
daughters of the community constitute a threat to peace.
The statement stressed that all the efforts
and several attempts to resolve the issues raised by the leaders of the
communities were ignored.
The leaders added that their attempts to
meet with Conoil at its headquarters in Lagos, were met with utter disdain and
hostile rejections.
"We want to notify the Nigerian
Government and the world at large that Conoil Producing Limited's Impending Oil
Operations in Asere ccommunity, Arogbo-Kingdom, Ese-Odo council, Ondo State has
constituted threats to peace and security.
"This is necessitated by the company's
fire bbrigade aapproach without due process.
"It is very curious and surprising
that Conoil is about forcing its way into operations without fulfilling the
necessary procedures and regulations guiding the Petroleum Industry as
contained in the PIA, 2021, with particular reference to sections 251 and 252
of the Act.
"The Conoil Producing Limited has not
directly negotiated with Land Owners, the Host Community (Asere community).
This has generated a lot of protests which have been countered by arrests and
the use of naked and brute force against protesters.
"Up till today, there is no
Environmental Impact Assessment, EIA, in place. The EIA must be done by the
Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, certified consultants which involve the
DPR Representatives, Federal Ministry of Environment, Land Owners and the
immediate community.
"There is no Memorandum of
Understanding, MOU, with Land Owners, the Host Community and the larger
community in specific terms.
"That there is no Freedom to Operate,
FTO, agreement which involves the Land Owners, immediate community, Access
communities, and the larger community (Arogbo-Kingdom).
"As these unpalatable situations came
to the fore, we, under the auspices of INC, Akur, Ondo State Chapter, Lagos
State Chapter and AICO, as leaders of our people made several attempts to
resolve the issues raised but all to no avail.
"Our attempts to meet with Conoil
Producing Limited at its headquarters in Lagos were greeted with utter disdain
and hostile rejections.
"As a result of this, we hereby,
unreservedly submit that Conoil Producing Limited should suspend its planned
operations in Asere community pending when all the issues mentioned above are
amicably resolved.
"We call on all authorities concerned
to give this cry the needed urgent attention and prevail on Conoil Producing
Limited to settle with the stakeholders before its operations in order not to
cause disaffection, confusion and conflict in our communities," the
statement.
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