[size=20pt]Barrels of trouble[/size]

THERE is anger among the Ndokwa, Isoko, Ijaw, Urhobo and Itsekiri peoples in Delta State against Shell Petroleum Development Company, SDPC, over recent sales of onshore blocs – Oil Mining Leases, (OML) 30, 34, 40, 42 with reserves of two billion barrels, by the Anglo-Dutch oil conglomerate.

The people are livid that the oil mining leases were sold without their consent. In June, some land owners in OML 30 in Isokoland, stormed the oil facility and beat up SPDC officials, who they chased away from the flow station.

The company invited the police who arrested the national president of the Isoko National Youths, Ogaga Egbuwoku and other Oleh youths. The arrest of the youth leaders, who had since been released, did not humidify the people, as they launched another attack on the company, destroying property, including its vehicles.

ekt_bear:

So the oil companies are not allowed to sell off their interests w/o coordinating with the indigenous communities? I guess the indigenous communities want the first crack at buying?

Anyway, interesting

efisher:

NNPC controls about 55% of SPDC. Shell is not exactly the one making all the decisions here. Those companies buying the OMLs belong to people like Mike Adenuga, some former Shell and NNPC staff, some politicians and surprise, surprise; some ex-militants like Mr. T! Shell is only protecting its investment and "playing along" with those running the show. Shine your eyes!

otokx:

SHELL as usual wants to cause more problem and leave the place in chaos; what is so hard in[b] selling to the owners of the land[/b] provided they have the financial and technical capabilities.

debosky:

It all depends on the terms of operation in the area - if there is a requirement for consultation with the local community before leases change hands, then they have a point.

It is not unreasonable to expect a community to have a say in a new owner coming to work in their backyard. The rage is misdirected though - they should have gone after the NNPC/DPR folk who must approve any such sale before it can proceed.

Ibime:

Very silly people on this thread. There is no such thing as compensation mentality. A man whose land was stolen will not rest till he gets it back. Justice delayed shouldn't be justice denied. It matters not that the grievous act was commited 42 years ago, it is still grievous till the owner of the land gets it back. The Isokos can burn down the whole facility and still be justified in their actions.

mitje:

@blink I wld av preffered dat u luk @ d issue holistically as well as pragmatically instead of ranting curses nd abuses. U may have a point bt do u knw dat a memorandum of understanding exists between shell and their host communities regarding issues like this? Conduct your research well plzzzz,

dayokanu:

Can they register their grievances with the FG?

Cos I think Shell got the land legally from the FG

blink182:

Please explain how the land was stolen and how beating up or even burning up the facility is justified?

Beaf:

Lol! The "google" Nigerian reaching the usual uninformed conclusion!

Ibime:

And the FG got the land illegally from the people.

Last, last, Shell should be charged for "handling stolen goods"

And oh, Shell were on ground when FG stole the land from the people and supported it.

Wise up African Peter Crouch!


Chairman, just face front. If what Beaf has told you about the illegal Petroleum and Land Acts isn't enough for you, then kick rocks.


How do we test a "google" Nigerian. Lets quiz him if he knows how to speak pidgin or any local dialect. Omo dey always type like pesin wey never land foot for bongo before.

Ibime:

Very silly people on this thread. There is no such thing as compensation mentality. A man whose land was stolen will not rest till he gets it back. Justice delayed shouldn't be justice denied. It matters not that the grievous act was commited 42 years ago, it is still grievous till the owner of the land gets it back. The Isokos can burn down the whole facility and still be justified in their actions.

Ibime:

Chairman, just face front. If what Beaf has told you about the illegal Petroleum and Land Acts isn't enough for you, then kick rocks.

These acts state that any land without paper title is owned by Fed Gov and can be taken without recompense, a cultural colo-mentality since our forefathers never used paper nor gave us paper title.

Secondly, the acts state that anyone can be kicked out of their ancestral farmlands for no recompense if oil is found therein. The case of the Ogoni woman who was killed by Shell operatives for refusing to leave her farm (for which she wasnt paid a dime) was what kicked off the protests in Ogoniland under Saro-Wiwa.

Finally, these acts were made law by military junta - an illegal body.

kpogede77:

@Blink182

God will punish you for  that statement, it is unfortunate that this is a faceless forum otherwise people like you are not suppose to come to Niger delta .Even in the bible the issue of land is a very serious issue that is  why the nation of Israel is fighting to reclaim their land till today. If your father’s farm has oil and this kind of thing is happening to him you will kill anybody who is depriving your father of the benefit. Don’t comment on any of our issue if you don’t have anything meaningful to contribute. Ekpa like you

Ibime:

These acts state that any land without paper title is owned by Fed Gov and can be taken without recompense, a cultural colo-mentality since our forefathers never used paper nor gave us paper title.

Secondly, the acts state that anyone can be kicked out of their ancestral farmlands (whether titled or not) for no recompense if oil is found therein. The case of the Ogoni woman who was killed by Shell operatives for refusing to leave her farm (for which she wasnt paid a dime) was what kicked off the protests in Ogoniland under Saro-Wiwa.

Finally, these acts were made law by military junta - an illegal body.

Bawss1:

By extension religious extremist can blow up the whole country and still be justified in their actions right. Brilliant logic.

Bawss1:

By extension religious extremist can blow up the whole country and still be justified in their actions right. Brilliant logic.

Anyways I’m not a newbie here on NL and I know how militant apologists can get whenever these issues are brought up. Indigenes are completely innocent victims whose birthright is continuously stolen from them by the mean and evil oil firms. That their attacks on the oil firms is oftentimes misplaced and is line with the display of savagery many here like to accuse northerners of does not come to question. What is it they want us to call them again, Freedom fighters? Revolutionaries? Yeah right

Ibime:

Lemme add to this by stating the greatest irony . . .

. . . which is that the same man (Obasanjo) who wrote these laws stating that "the land is not yours if FG wants it", now takes the same land and sells the title to private individuals as "oil blocks".

i.e:

Your title to the land means nothing if you own the land. . . but if it's a land that Fed Govt seized then sold to you, your title means everything.

Hence one man's land becomes another man's "oil block". . . . meanwhile all na still land.

Its called robbing Asari to pay Hameed.  

blank:

WHAT THE HELL DOES "HUMIDIFY" MEAN?