Alleged neglect, abandoned projects force youths to shut down Agip’s oil wells

Nigerian Agip Oil Company has had three of its oil wells shut downby angry youths of Ikebiri community, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State over alleged neglect of the people and abandonment of projects in the area.

The three oil well-heads 9, 11 and 14, were shut down by the raging youths at the weekend, who claim that all efforts by the community to have the oil company re-award some abandoned projects under the Global Memorandum of Understanding has not been heeded to.

To further show their grievances, it was learnt that Ikebiri youths and a few of their women and men, on Sunday protested in streets of the area brandishing placards with inscriptions like “Enough is enough: Ikebiri says no to Agip’s neglect”; “Stop divide-and-rule, give us our quick impact jobs”.

Although armed soldiers were said to have been deployed to reopen the shut oil wells on Saturday, the aggrieved youths it was gathered, vowed that they will never stop disrupting Agip operations in the community.

The chairman of Ikebiri Community Development Committee, Timiondi Fabofighe, confirmed the incident.

“Yes, it is true that we shut down three oil wells belonging to Agip. We have tried legal and peaceful means to prevail on the company to sign a GMoU and they have refused.

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“The GMoU provides that a project is sited and completed. But with a GMoU expiration, the oil company awarded quick impact jobs with the exclusion of Ikebiri people.

“When we approached them, they said it was too late for the community to demand quick impact jobs. But they did not inform us. All we are demanding is the immediate award of contract to complete the abandoned projects and the immediate release of quick impact jobs to the community,” Fabofighe said.

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