A meeting arranged by the management of the NPDC/Elcrest Joint Ventures Ltd, operator of OML-40 in Warri North Local Government Area, to address the grouse of protesting youths of Egbema Kingdom was yesterday, put off indefinitely.
This was because a faction of the youths allegedly sponsored by the company’s liaison officer attempted to attack the local government chairman, Smart Asekutu.
The proposed meeting scheduled for the office of the Local Government chairman yesterday December 10 at 10am, The New Diplomat learnt, was expected to be attended by representatives of the Egbema Youth Council, EYC, who staged a peaceful protest to the company’s flow station on Wednesday December 8, 2021; representatives of leaders of different host communities; Asekutu himself; the Commanding Officer, 90 Battalion of the Nigerian Army; the Divisional Police Officer of Koko Division and other security agencies.
When the crew of The New Diplomat visited Koko, headquarters of Warri North Local Government Council, yesterday morning to monitor the proposed meeting, it was observed that Asekutu, representatives of the leaders of different host communities and representatives of the Egbema Youths Council who protested at the flow station of the oil company on Wednesday, were on ground awaiting the arrival of the company’s representatives.
However, a faction of youths invaded the council secretariat threatening to attack the council chairman, but danger was averted with the timely arrival and intervention of military men from the JTF headquarters in Koko.
The scheduled meeting could not hold as expected when the representatives of NPDC/Elcrest led by Mr. Ben Masare, who arrived past midday insisted on allowing the youths who earlier threatened to attack the chairman to be part of the meeting.
It was further gathered that the EYC youths who embarked on a peaceful protest to the flow station of the operators on Wednesday, also opposed the inclusion of the said youths. In the ensuing confusion, the meeting was abruptly suspended.
Fielding questions from newsmen earlier, Asekutu recalled that the EYC protesting youths had been seeking dialogue with the operators of the OML over the years on issues bordering on the unsigned GMoU between the company and the host communities, especially on the obligations of both parties.
According to the chairman, having almost exhausted all avenues of dialogue with the company, the youths had resolved to stage a peaceful protest to the production platform of the operators of the OML 40, but he had intervened to stop them on each occasion to allow for peace and assurances for dialogue with the company
The chairman also recalled that the recent protest to the company’s premises was sequel to the expiration of an ultimatum given by the youths, adding that when his attention was drawn to the action of the boys, he also intervened and a meeting was scheduled for sometime in August, 2021 between the company, community leaders and the boys to resolve the matter. He however added that the meeting could not be concluded as the company, backed by one Alhaji Emmanuel Omoko, insisted that a faction of the youths who were against the peaceful protest of the EYC took part in the meeting. Asekutu said the meeting had to be adjourned while the representatives of the company assured that a subsequent properly constituted meeting shall be arranged within two weeks for the matter to be resolved.
However, the council boss said that for over two months, the company failed to convene another meeting, hence the youths’ recent peaceful protest to the company’s platform in the creeks.
“Let me say that those who organized Wednesday protest did not even pre-inform me of their plan. They are beginning to lose trust in this council’s ability to intervene. I had assured them that the company will come back and we will discuss to ensure that issues are resolved for both parties to live together and work together. But the company never responded to arrange another meeting as expected.
“On the day of the protest, after I was called by Mrs. Iyabo, I went to the military men and got a security speed boat and went to the site. I was surprised that the company had already mobilized several gun boats to the location. From my understanding, the protesting youths have almost exhausted every avenue to get the company to talk to. I even understand that before they embarked on the protest, they approached the CO to ask for his permission to go on a peaceful protest. They told him. The CO gave them several appointments on what to do, and even advised them to meet me before they embark on the protest. And when they came I still pleaded with them to hold their peace that we shall find a way to talk to the company.
“These companies are giving us problem and I think they need to address the kind of pattern that they are using to relate with their host communities. We went there to speak to the youths and the company reps said that their head office had directed that they should hold a meeting with the protesters today. I was equally called by the company management that today they will hold a meeting with the protesters in the Council by 10am. But you can see the time, the company’s reps are not here.
“But you saw how some set of people who were not even part of those invited for today’s meeting, came here attempting to attack me. From my observations and utterances from them, they have been having meetings. I may not mention name now but very soon I’d mention names. They planned to come here to attack me. Why?
“What happened here now, my life and everything in this office is being threatened. So, to your question as to what would happen if this meeting does not successfully hold today, you should understand that the people went to the flow station peacefully and the company assured them that they were going to meet with them. The people were aggrieved and they mobilized themselves to the platform and if these people fail to meet with them as agreed, it is obvious to you and I that they have deceived the people. And you can imagine, yourself, what would likely be the reaction of the EYC protesters.
Asekutu stated that only the people who are aggrieved, who are vexed and mobilized themselves to Kpetuku, the operational field of Elcrest and NPDC, are supposed to be in this meeting with the company, myself and security agencies. These community leaders you see here are part of the host communities also invited for this meeting.”
Earlier in an interview with one of the executives of Egbema Youth Council, Gen. Silas Toruwei, the group alleged that a few leaders from Opuama community led by one Alhaji Emmanuel Omoko has been using his position with the companies to shortchange the entire host communities, adding that whatever he collects from the company management, he gives pittance to a few of his loyalists and appropriate the rest to himself.
Toruwei said: “Alhaji is the central command. Every community leader is under Alhaji. Whenever anyone contemplates protest against the company to demand what belongs to the entire communities, Alhaji would come in to prevent it and sometimes, he would give some little money to such aggrieved people to silence them.
“Even when Alhaji collects huge sums of money from the company on behalf of the entire host communities, he will give little money to select few and make them believe that it was his personal money he was giving out to them.
“That is why you see those people who are attempting to attack the chairman today are under Alhaji Emmanuel Omoko. They are his boys. Alhaji is the person whom the companies is dealing directly with and he has been responsible for the failure of the company to sign the GMoU with the communities where their obligations to the people are clearly spelt out.”
At past midday, The New Diplomat observed that a two-man delegation of the NPDC and Elcrest led by one Mr. Ben Masare, arrived the Council Secretariat ostensibly for the meeting. However, a few minutes later, an angry Asetuku emerged from the meeting and left in his convoy.
A representative of the EYC who was in the meeting told our correspondent that Masare insisted that the boys who earlier in the day threatened to attack Asekutu must be part of the meeting but this was opposed by the chairman, community leaders present and representatives of the aggrieved EYC members.
When contacted on what would be the next action of the protesting youths, Torunwei said that the outcome of the meeting was not okay, adding that “we are planning to go back to the river and all operations must stop immediately.”
On whether there is no other way to resolve the crisis apart from shutting down the operations of the company, Torunwei said that the only way should have been through dialogue but “unfortunately, Alhaji has been frustrating the process of dialogue and promoting “divide and rule” process by the companies.
Fielding questions from newsmen shortly after the meeting was called off, the Council chairman said that he was committed to the peace and progress of Warri North Council Area, adding that he cannot afford to disappoint the Executive Governor of the State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa.
According to him, Gov. Okowa has done a lot in maintaining peace in the entire state, noting that Warri North could not be an exception. He said that he would do everything and anything possible to resolve the impasse between the oil company and the host communities, adding that although the meeting could still not hold yesterday, it was not a dead end to finding a way for dialogue and resolution between the two parties.
