BEVERLY HILLS, May 19, (THEWILL) – The Twon Brass community in Bayelsa, hosts to Agip’s Crude Export Terminal, has continued ongoing protests against lingering power outage in the settlement and shunned entreaties from the monarch, King Alfred Diette-Spiff.
The peole alleged that the monarch was complicit in several efforts by Agip to shortchange the community; and they no longer had confidence in his representation at talks with the oil firm.
It was learnt on Wednesday, that Diette-Spiff had addressed the protesters and urged them to disperse and leave the premises of Agip while discussions with the oil firm to resolve the dispute continued in Port Harcourt.
The aggrieved members of the community, who had blocked access to the oil firm’s office, resisted the appeal by the monarch became restive and hauled missiles at their traditional ruler who was whisked out of the scene to avert violence.
Mr. Edward Edison, Youth President of Twon Brass, said that the timely intervention of the youth and armed security agencies deployed to the oil firm prevented violence; but he said that a 24-year old was shot in the process.
He explained that the monarch had to leave the community in a hurry to avert escalation of the situation as the residents vowed to remain on the premises of Agip until power was restored.
The protests by members of the Agip host community had disrupted activities at the oil firm’s office premises located on Brass Island, near the Atlantic coastline.
The community’s women, youth and elders had since May 14 occupied and blocked access to Agip’s operational office, beating drums and singing solidarity songs, while demanding immediate restoration of power.
Chief Benjamin Obuala, Chairman, Twon Brass Community Development Committee (CDC), said his people would continue to remain peaceful in ventilating their grievances over the power outage, which had persisted for over two months.
When contacted for response, Ms Cioni Maririna, Media Relations Official at Eni, parent company of Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) , declined comments on the development.
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