Pipeline surveillance:4.9m barrels crude trapped as shutdown of oil facilities by Rivers community enters 7th day

 .Demand payment of over N26bn salaries

Emmanuel Nlewedum, Port Harcourt

Not less than 4.9million barrels of crude oil may have been affected in the country, as the protest by the people of Rumuekpe community in Emohua local government area of Rivers State which led to total shutdown of activities of International Oil Companies, IOCs, operating in the area, enters the 7th day.

The people are protesting their exclusion in the multi-billion naira pipeline surveillance contract awarded to ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemopolo, aka Tompolo.

The CHAMPION reports that over two thousand natives of Rumuekpe, one of the major oil producing communities in Nigeria, together with the Association of Niger Delta Upland Communities, ANDUC, have since Thursday last week occupied the only access road to the community, demanding for their rights as upland oil producing community.

Speaking during the protest, President, Association of Niger Delta Upland Communities, Alhaji Isa Mohammed, said it was unfortunate that the surveillance contract meant for youths from oil producing upland communities were being given to indigenes of Riverine communities.

Mohammed demanded that “the N26.4 Billion Naira allegedly paid by Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited, PINL, to fake warlords in the riverine communities meant for 8 months salary arrears of Trans-Niger Pipeline, TNP, Oil Surveillance in Rivers State, be returned to the upland communities.”

He asked the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, to release the original copies of documents for the oil surveillance contract for the TNP oil pipeline to the upland communities.

Mohammed who also demanded equal right from Federal Government to upland communities said, “All we are asking is that all accrued benefits and arrears of salaries amounting to N26.4 billion meant for us, the upland communities, which was diverted to wrong destinations, be returned to us.

“Today is the 7th day of total shutdown of production of daily 700,000 barrels of crude oil in Rumuekpe Manifold, amounting to 4.9million barrels wasted, if calculating them, 1.2million a shipload would have settled our demand, but they decided to be adamant after several letters and appeals.”

He said, “We are freedom fighters and we are appealing to the federal and state governments, including the international communities to come and resolve this matter amicably, because the upland communities have been in captivity to the so called warlords in the riverine communities.

“Rumuekpe is not just a pipeline or mere oil producing community, but the treasure base of this country. Rumuekpe, an upland community, is a facility community and a centre of connection with the largest manifold and flow station as well as one of the tallest microwaves in the world, among other facilities. Without Rumuekpe, there would be no sales or production in the Bonny terminal.

“We are not asking for much, all our rights as regards to the pipeline surveillance contract in this area, meant for our people (the upland communities), including payment of our salary arrears and all benefits denied us by the federal government through PINL, and diverted to so-called leaders unknown to us from the riverine communities, should be returned to us.

“We cannot have this kind of facilities, enrich the federal government account, suffer all the hazards, pollution and destruction of our farmlands, we even protect the facilities and someone else that doesn’t know about this area, or the sufferings of our people will be enjoying the benefits.

“We will leave no stone unturned. Oil production and operations of oil companies in Rumuekpe will remain shutdown until our demands are met,” he said.

The Chief Security Officer of ANDUC, Comrade ThankGod Esevi, aka ‘Father’ and some community leaders, while speaking to journalists, expressed happiness that they succeeded in shutting activities of IOCs in the area, stating that they were being taken for granted.

They called for urgent attention from the NNPCL and federal government, adding that if nothing is done to address their demands in the next 7 days, they would take action that would move the government to the community.