Akwa Ibom youths have issued out several threats to Exxon mobil to relocate their headquarters or stop oil operations in their state.


The demands for International Oil Companies, IOCs, in Nigeria to relocate their head offices from Lagos to the Niger Delta region resurfaced recently during the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s tour of the troubled region.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ_-UXH7z6w

During his visit to Akwa Ibom, Mr. Osinbajo directed the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, “to engage” with the IOCs “on the way forward” over the calls for their relocation.

The directive was seen as a major boost to campaigns by Niger Delta States to have oil companies relocate to their states of operation.

However, Akwa Ibom youths have used this opportunity to threaten the management of Exxon mobil operating in their state that if they do not respect the federal government directives, the peace they enjoy will no longer be guaranteed.

With tensions rising from the relocation issue,the governor of Akwa Ibom state Mr Udom Emmanuel has warned youths in oil producing communities in the state against confrontation and disruption of operations of ExxonMobil Nigeria, while agitating for the relocation of the company’s headquarters to the state.

Emmanuel, who gave the warning during the coronation of the Paramount Ruler of Ibeno and Chairman, Akwa Ibom State Council of Chiefs, HRM Owong Effiong Archianga, advised the youths not to give the oil firm reasons not to relocate its headquarters to its operational base. He said that since he was leading the campaign for the relocation, he would want the youths not to do anything that would jeopardise the process and efforts already in top gear.


Other prominent indegine of the state also reacted to the Exxonmobil relocation process.“Today, all those impediments ranging from lack of airport, road network, housing, and accommodation have been conquered. They don’t have any excuse not to move their headquarters to Akwa Ibom,” Nduese Essien, a former minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, had said of Mobil during the town hall meeting in Uyo with Mr. Osinbajo.

The Commissioner for Information in the state, Charles Udoh, told PREMIUM TIMES that the state government was waiting for the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to inform it of the next action after Mr. Osinbajo’s directive.

“It’s a directive that was given by the acting president of Nigeria, and so every company who does business in Nigeria is subjected to the laws, regulations and directives of the government of the day,” Mr. Udoh said.

“If the federal government is hell-bent on making it work in line with our demand, then I strongly believe that the federal government will sit down with them (IOCs) and make it work. I strongly believe there will be a compromise somewhere that will make all parties happy at the end of the day,” he said.

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It's about time..but I know there'll soon bribe the youth leader and he'll shut the rest of the youth up and the matter will end,we know how they operate so no need to worry my head