Group wants FG to stop flow of crude oil from Edo oil wells to Delta

A group under the aegis of Benin Solidarity Movement (BSM) has called on the Federal Government to stop the flow of crude oil from the 9-producing oil wells  to Ovade in Delta state.

The 9-producing oil wells are located at Obagie N’Okenkporo in Orhionmwon local government area of Edo state while Ovade is located in Ethiope West local government area, Delta state.

The group said the stoppage of the flow of the oil to the community in Delta state must be with immediate effect.

The group who made the called during its protest to Edo State House of Assembly and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Edo state council said there would be consequences if the Federal government fails to meet its demands.

The spokesperson of the body, Odion Olaye also demand for automatic education bursary, scholarships and employment for students and youths of Benin by all the oil exploring companies like Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), Pan Ocean, Dubril oil among others as well as from the Federal Government with immediate effect.

Olaye who said all oil wells flowing and non-flowing stations belong to the Benin people noted that the proceed from the oil wells should be used to develop Benin kingdom.

He noted that the same treatment should also be extended to other two oil rich local governments namely Ikpoba Okha and Ovia North-East local government areas.

He added that all agitations by non-Benin indigenes, strangers and settlers like Itsekiris and Ijaws in the Benin kingdom should henceforth stop.

The group further noted that all oil exploring, prospecting and servicing companies in Benin kingdom should  also do businesses only with the Benin people.

He said the group would no longer condole non-natives, strangers or settlers speaking on behalf of any community, town, village, local government area belonging to Benin kingdom.

In a swift reaction, Don Ben, spokesperson for Gelegele community said if the proposed export processing zone materialises, it will create jobs and that all our neighbours will benefit from it.

Ben added that the Ijaw people and neigbouring communities would  be part of the project.

He said “so I don’t know somebody is trying to say these persons are strangers and others are indigenes, it is not done. Whatever project or development that is coming there is for everybody.

He however added that everybody from this world migrated from somewhere.

According to him, the Ijaws have been here even before the extradition of Oba Ovonramwen in 1897 we have been here for centuries. That is where I was born and brought up, we have been intermarrying we have been doing things in common if they are now using politics to drag us somewhere because a seaport is going to be cited here is left for the person because the aborigenes of that place will not allow it to happen.

“We have been coexisting for a very long time more than 12 centuries ago so a people that have been there for such decades how can you suddenly now say they are settlers. So everybody comes from  somewhere. If we met somebody there, we will know we met somebody but we did not meet anybody there when our people came here. So we are neighbours and we have been coexisting so we are not ready to come fight with our neighbours.

“I have been a peace advocate, all I want is that every ethnic nationality should be contended with wherever place God has put them and not to go and be lording over other ethnic nationalities we need to live together; the Efik and other people live together.

“Kalabaris and some other people live together, other groups live together. If you try to incite the youths against themselves when the whole thing escalates and anything happens, there will be a reprisal and if that kind of thing happens, it will result to loss of lives and destruction of property.

“I am not advocating that such thing should happen abut I am saying that anybody that is being pushed should advise himself because a stitch in time save nine we should come together to see how the federal government can develop our land”, he said.