….demands $100m in compensation
……calls on security agencies to beam searchlight on their community.
The traditional rulers, leaders of thought and people of Eastern Obolo Local Government of Akwa Ibom State have lamented undue harassment, intimidation and humiliation from the Management of Sterling Petrochemical and Fertilizer Limited operating in their domain since 2021.
Addressing Journalists on Thursday in Uyo on the theme. The Illegal Closure Of Creeks, Planned Forceful Displacement Of Obianga/Ikonta Villages and Irreparable Devastation of our Environment by Sterling Petrochemical and fertilizer limited, the spokesman of the community Chief Joshua Mathew Ayagwung recalled that in 2022, the Akwa Ibom State Government under the leadership then Governor Udom Emmanuel acquired 1,736 hectares of our ancestral land for the operations of Sterling Petrochemical and Fertilizer Limited (SPFL).
According to him, “The said land was acquired exclusively from the following communities in Eastern Obolo: Ikonta, Obianga, Okoroinyong, Egwenwe, Emereoke, Iwofe and Amazaba communities.
He added, “Since the commencement of civil works by SPFL, the lives of our people have been under siege as there are a number of critical socio-economic and environmental challenges which SPFL has deliberately refused to address despite repeated and persuasive engagements by the host communities
“Today, our land has become a theatre of oppression, harassment, intimidation, destruction of the environment, ecosystem and blatant disregard for our fundamental rights.
“These challenges, if remained unaddressed, are capable of wiping out of existence over seven gazette villages in Eastern Obolo Local Government Area and permanently displacing the inhabitants of those villages”.
The Eastern Obolo people further lamented that the 1,736 Hectares of land acquired by the Akwa Ibom State Government was to the exclusion of ancient rivers namely Okolo Obianga/Ikonta and Okolo Otuita and other creeks, which are Federal navigable waterways. Specifically, Okolo Obiang/Ikonta and Okolo Otuita are the only access routes in and out of the seven land donor communities to SPFL.
However according to them, “We hereby state emphatically that there has never been any agreement either with the Akwa Ibom State Government or SPFL to permanently or temporarily close these strategic ancient routes which also serves as fishing grounds for the fishermen and women of the host communities.
“However, despite several protestations by the host communities, and a subsisting injunctive court order by Hon. Justice Joy Unwana of the Akwa Ibom State High Court in Suit No. HU/387/2023, these Indians operating SPFL led by one Col. Gush Amit and Mr Naseer; armed with military personnel and militants, forcefully and illegally closed the entirety of all the creeks thereby trapping our communities with no access in or out of the community”.
“It should be noted that the said communities are islands with no access by road. Therefore, the closed creeks serve as our only access routes to markets, hospitals, schools and other places of our daily endeavours.
As we speak, members of these communities are trapped and unable to access medical care for the sick and daily necessities, especially now that suspected cases of cholera have already claimed over 20 lives in one of the host communities.
This is not just negligence, but it is a calculated act of oppression designed by the Indians to break our spirit and displace us from our ancestral homes.
For the avoidance of doubt, the compensation that was paid by the Akwa Ibom State Government to Ikonta, Obianga, Okoroinyong, Egwenwe, Emereoke, Iwofe and Amazaba communities was in respect of crops and economic trees, AND NOT FOR THE CLOSURE OF CREEKS, as creeks do not constitute part and parcel of land for payment of compensation.
The 1736 hectares of land acquired by the Akwa Ibom State Government does not cover or include even residential or dwelling places of any of the above-mentioned host communities.
Let it be known by SPFL and the entire world that the tripartite agreement signed by the host communities, SPFL and Akwa Ibom State Government on the 17th Day of October 2022 was just to facilitate the payment of prompt compensation and does not have any clause therein for either the closure of creeks or relocation of Obianga/Ikonta Villages or any of the host communities.
They therefore maintained that SPFL must jettison any conceived or imaginary plan to relocate or displace the people of Ikonta and Obianga Communities, as we are not ready and willing to quit our ancestral homes for any reason whatsoever.
We want to make it categorically clear, that we will do everything within the ambits of the law to resist any attempt to forcefully relocate our people.
We shall resist by all lawful means any attempt to wipe us out of our ancestral homes, as such moves threaten our corporate existence and heritage as a people.
The Eastern Obolo said the SPFL must as a matter of urgency provide 23 hectares of habitable land for the resettlement of the people of Lagos fishing settlement as agreed by parties and witnessed by the Akwa Ibom State Government in 2021.
We hereby demand that SPFL pay the people of Eastern Obolo the sum of 100 million US dollars as compensation for the irreparable damage done to our environment and ecosystem.
They called on the Federal Ministry of Environment, the Nigerian Extractive Industry and Transparency Initiative (NEITI), the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and other government agencies and the International Environmental organizations to beam their regulatory search light on the operations of SPFL and ensure that they comply strictly with extant laws and global best practice.
We hereby call on the Hon. Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation Mr. Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) National Security Adviser, the Inspector General of Police, and the Comptroller General of Nigerian Immigration Service to investigate and prosecute any illegal Indian immigrant found within Eastern Obolo in particular and Akwa Ibom State at large.
