Protesting A’Ibom youths accuse Indian-owned oil firm of environmental damage

In protest against Sterling Global and Natural Oil Field Service’s alleged devastation of their farmlands and water supplies, thousands of youths, including women, from the Ikot Ekong community in the Mkpat-Enin local government area of Akwa Ibom State barricaded the Akpaden/Eastern Obolo Road on Tuesday.

Youths and women from the Ikot Ekong community in the Mkpat-Enin local government area of Akwa Ibom State on Tuesday barricaded the Akpaden/Eastern Obolo Road in protest against alleged devastation of their farmlands and water supplies by Sterling Global and Natural Oil Field Service.

Indian businessmen and brothers Nitin and Chetan Sandesara own Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production, which is one of Nigeria’s largest independent oil firms.

The protesters who had blocked the highway sang songs of solidarity and held up signs with different messages.

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Some of the inscriptions read: “You have destroyed our only source of livelihood”, “Natural Oil Field Service should consult Ikot Ekong”, “We want employment”, “We want good roads; give us our rights,” “We want potable water; pay us compensation” and others.

The Chairman, Labour and Industrial Relations in Ikot Ekong community, Dr Linus Ukoenang, while addressing the protesters expressed disappointment with the company’s management for paying deaf ears to the plights of the community.

He disclosed that representatives of the community had made several efforts aimed at going into dialogue with the oil firms for recognition as land donor but to no avail hence, they had to come out to openly ask for their rights.

“We have made several representations to Sterling Petroleum Nig Limited and Natural Oil Service operating on our land. We have written several times, we even reported to the police and other security agencies and they have invited us for a dialogue, but they refused to honour all the invitations.

“That is why the entire Ikot Ekong community decided to stage a peaceful protest today, to openly tell them that we are here. They are supposed to recognise us as land donors. They came into our farmlands, destroyed our crops and laid their oil pipelines without our consent and permissions,” he stated.

He therefore demanded compensation from the company for the destruction caused the community, adding that since they had started paying other neighbouring villages, it would be natural that they should pay them as well.
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He said, “We are looking for recognition and compensation, because by now, they have paid our neighbouring communities who are equally land donors, but neglected us. Ikot Ekong community is a stakeholder in the project but the oil firms are trying to ignore us.”

“We are also looking for employment, road construction, a better future for our children, our women and other entitlements. Ikot Ekong should be enlisted as part of the land donors and must be recognised and compensated accordingly.”

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