Yenagoa— Ijaw youths yesterday warned that Anglo-Dutch oil giant, Shell Petroleum Development Company SPDC, should be ready to move out from its multi-billion dollars EA and Bonga offshore oilfields in the Niger Delta if the company insisted on moving its corporate headquarters from Port Harcourt to Lagos in the South West.

The youths, on the aegis of Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, worldwide, described the planned move by SPDC as not only insensitive but capable of escalating the already volatile security situation in the Niger Delta.

Spokesman of the IYC, Eric Omare, in a statement in Yenagoa said: “While critical stakeholders are making efforts to restore peace and security to the already volatile Niger Delta region orchestrated by wrong policies, Shell and its allies in the government are planning another move that will worsen the security situation in the Niger Delta.”

The IYC is aware of the evil and selfish plan of Shell which is to substantially sell off its onshore assets, maintain only crude oil transportation and storage facilities and operate the lucrative EA and Bonga offshore oil fields located in the Niger Delta from Lagos by carrying of its workers through helicopter on a daily basis.

“This plan clearly demonstrates the anti-community and Niger Delta nature of Shell. It was such anti-oil producing communities policies by Shell, Chevron, Exxon Mobil and other multinationals operating in the Niger Delta region that gave birth to the present restiveness in the Niger Delta region.

The implication of Shell relocating its corporate headquarters from the Niger Delta to Lagos is that the region would lose all the economic and other associated benefits that come with having a corporate headquarters in the region.

The Niger Delta states would not only lose revenue but even businessmen doing business with Shell had to move from the Niger Delta region to Lagos with the attendant negative economic effects.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/01/iyc-shell-relocate-hq-lagos-vacate-oilfields-n-delta/

You guys should settle this amicably.

It can be a win-win situation for both sides and it can also be a win-lose situation too.Shell is caught in between the deep blue sea and the devil. You can't be bursting pipelines and have their workers working in fear and have them remain there and you can't also have them move out of the region thereby inflicting some form of economic damage to the people. I guess both sides have to compromise.

These guys in IYC are jokers. Anyone with a brain would have seen this move coming.
Shell has been divesting all their interest in the Niger Delta for over 5 years now, and this guys are just realising it?

Shell never intended to relocate to Lagos rather to Imo State.

SPDC has even informed Imo State Government and the Police Commission to vacate the former Shell Camp in Owerri for their use.

But what right do these Niger delta youths have to demand that the HQ of a company must be at a particular location?

Is shell not already paying levies/ taxes and other commitment fees to the host communities?