Trouble Brewing in OML 54 Host Communities

Crisis may soon erupt in three communities in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State over the activities of the Niger Delta Petroleum Development Resources Limited (NDPR), operators of Oil Mining Lease (OML) 54.

Groups within the communities: Ogbele, Obumeze and Oshigboko, are pitched against each other on allegations of wrong doing and sharp practices against the NDPR.

In the letter to President Muhammadu Buhari signed by the Youth President of Ogbele, Fidelis Ikegah; the Youth President of Obumeze community, Dim Benson; and the Civil Liberty Organisation (CLO), copied to the Senate President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Governor of Rivers State, the Inspector General Police, and the speaker, Rivers House of Assembly, one of the groups said they were in possession of a disruptive letter by those they described as the anarchists.

They accused those they called “some faceless persons” and the Niger Delta Human Rights Coalition of attempting to plunge the rather peaceful communities of OML 54 into chaos and anarchy.

They said they were in receipt of a letter titled: “A strong and urgent protest Against the mindless oil and gas exploration and marginalisation, economic and environmental sabotage of the host communities of OML 54 by the Niger Delta petroleum Development Resources (NDPR) which is calculated at exterminating the lives of the people living in Ogbele field and its environs as well as their penchant for violating the laws of the state while defrauding the state and federal government the revenue that accrues to them.”

Describing the claims as frivolous, malicious and hallmark of misguided minds, the group and the CLO in the letter to Buhari said: “We are shocked that hitherto unknown Niger Delta Human Rights Coalition with not fixed address can come out and claim to be spokespersons and voice of the host communities. “We are constrained to come to the conclusion that the motive of the authors of this piece of propaganda and their sponsor is to cause serious confusion in our communities with the aim of disorganising the already existing cordial relationship between the communities and the NDPR.”