NPDC Deploys Soldiers As Community Shuts Flow Station In Delta
SAN FRANCISCO, August 26, (THEWILL) - The Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) has deployed soldiers from the 222 Battalion of the Nigerian Army to disperse protesters, a day after hundreds of protesters shut down the Erhoike Flow Station, belonging to the company.
THEWILL learnt that the protesters, who are from Erhoike community, had erected canopies and brought in kitchen utensils to the gate of the company where they sang 'war' songs to draw the attention of the authority of the company.
Local sources said NPDC officials had sent soldiers to disperse the protesters who threatened to continue the siege until their demands are met.
THEWILL learnt that with the shutdown, Nigeria's daily crude oil output has been shortened by close to 45,000 barrels amounting to about N2 billion every day for as long as the standoff lasts.
It could be recalled that the people of Orogun community in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State had few weeks ago given NPDC ultimatum to meet their demands or face a shutdown of its flow station.
Addressing newsmen, leader of all the oil producing communities in Orogun, Morris Ochuko Idiovwha; chairman of the Community Development Committee (CDC), Chief Banet Abafe; Women Leader, Mrs. Mary Umufo; as well as Chief Jettson Efetobor, said the protest was as a result of decade-long neglect in provision of basic social amenities, marginalisation in employment and many others.
Morris Idiovwha said the action of the people would result in the shortage of the country's crude oil output up to 44,880 barrels per day, estimated at about N1.8 billion per day.
'This Kokori/Orogun flow station has over 42 oil wells. Recently NPDC made a publication saying that this flow station is the second highest producing flow station in the whole of Delta Central, in the whole of OML 30 and aside that, the communities are extremely poor, no development.
'I can tell you that in the whole of Orogun, there is no medical centre . We are saying to NDPC and Shoreline Energy; if they don't want to heed our demands, they should leave the land.
'We have said they must pay all rentals and leases; we want a percentage of production, we want to be represented in how our oil is appropriated. If they cannot give us a percentage of production, they should leave our land.
'We are out today and we are ready to defend our rights, we are ready to defend our resources with the last drop of our blood. We are saying to Shoreline Energy, NPDC; if you cannot carry the people of Orogun along, leave our land.
'We have all agreed to come out today and today is Day One, we are ready to stay here. As a matter of fact, if they don't yield to our demands, we will be sleeping here, we will stay here and they will have to vacate this land.
'We are ready to stay as long as possible, until our demands are met. If they do not yield to our demands, we will take over this land and plant cassava here. We are ready to stay till as long as our demands are met and the flow station will remain shut until our demands are met,' Idiovwha said.
Speaking in the same vein, the Women Leader, Umufo, said: 'When NPDC was taking over the mess SPDC left in the community in 2013, they said they were aware of the issues and promised to remedy them.
'After six months, they came up with quick-win projects. They made our people borrow money. They have not paid for the projects as promised. They turned it into kill-quick projects.'
NPDC's spokesman, Ugo Atugbokoh, however declined comment when Contacted, saying he had not been briefed by the company's Community Relations Department.