The people of Irri community, Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta state on Tuesday in their large numbers came out to protest against Oando oil company over what they called ‘high-handedness and neglect’.
The protest which began on Monday and lasted till Tuesday, it was gathered, the protesters slaughtered two cows which they used to prepared foods to eat as they vowed not to vacate the company’s premises until their demands were met.
It was gathered that protesters mainly youths, women and men of Irri community, numbering over a thousand got infuriated when the company came with an helicopter to evacuate it’s workers and drop new workers with foods, a situation which got the people more provoked.
The aggrieved protesters who marched through the streets of Irri singing solidarity songs with placards bearing different inscriptions such as “We Need Electricity”, “No Project Since 2017”, “Respect Our Traditional Rulers”, “We Need Indigenous Contractors”, and “OANDO Stop Exploiting Irri”, stormed the oil flow station in the community and barricaded the entrance gate thereby disrupting official activities of the company as well as businesses.
According to the protesters, the oil company has perpetuated longstanding marginalisation, neglect, and a blatant refusal to honour agreements spanning several years reached with the community.
The community while lamenting what they called ‘inhuman and wicked and heartless’ maltreatment by OANDO company towards the community, demanded urgent intervention and accountability and condemned in strong terms the failure of the company to implement provisions of the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMOU) initially signed with NOAC prior to its acquisition by OANDO.
The community, alleged that OANDO has persistently disregarded calls for dialogue and reneged on promises made under the agreement.
Speaking on behalf of the people, the president general of Irri community accused the company of hiding under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) to justify its inaction, adding that “The PIA does not prevent OANDO from showing respect to our king or responding to our correspondence. If they continue to ignore us, we will be forced to shut down all oil activities in Irri,” he warned.
Also speaking, the Odiologbo of Irri community, Simon Wajutome stated that the community has been marginalized for an extended period, adding that “We have submitted numerous letters and initiated negotiations, yet no progress has been made. They operate on our land, extracting our resources, but provide no benefits in return, not even a courtesy visit to us since they commenced operations.
“We are affording them a two-week window to fulfil our demands. The council chairman and the commander of the 181 Battalion, Lt Col Dabo, are accompanying me on a peace mission. Let us return home and provide them with the opportunity to honour their commitments, ensuring the Oando company meets our collective demands. I do not have issues with them, but rather, let us permit them to address my people,” Wajutome stated.
Addressing the protesters at the oil flow station, Irri, the chairman of Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta state, Friday Ovoke Warri bemoaned what he called high-handedness and negkect attitude of OANDO oil company operating in the area, saying despite series of letters written to the company, the company was not interested in responding.
The council boss who expressed his displeasure over the lackadaisical behaviour of the company, called on the people to remain peaceful and not to take the laws into their hand even as he appealed to the community to allow OANDO oil company sufficient time to address their demands, as their concerns have been received by relevant authorities.
