The protest that erupted at a renaissance facility in Ukpeliede Community, Ahoada West LGA of Rivers State has been put on temporary hold as the oil company and other stakeholders begin peace meetings.
The protesters had blocked the road to the Ubie flow station, attempting to shut down the manifold in the community.
BusinessDay learnt that community members were allegedly angry with a member of staff of Renaissance, who allegedly cancelled a community school building project approved by the management and advisory committee of the Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) in the area because of an alleged conflict of interest in the contract award.
Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria), led by Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, confirmed that the protests were going on last week and called for investigations. Sources told YEAC-Nigeria why the contract of the 6-blockroom school project was cancelled, saying a board member had influenced the contract to his wife.
The sources said: “Other contractors are still petitioning that they are the right people to win the contract.”
Reacting, a spokesperson for The Renaissance African Energy Company Limited said: “We are actively engaging with the leaders and relevant stakeholders of Ukpeiliede Community so that we can mutually understand the reasons for the situation and ensure that they are addressed in a safe and constructive manner.
“Our industry is a well-regulated one, and Renaissance maintains a firm commitment to transparency, due process, and good governance in all community-related engagements. The Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) operates with established procedures as enshrined in the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Host Communities Development Regulations (NUPHCDR) 2022, designed to ensure fairness, accountability, and delivery of socio-economic benefits to host communities. It also stipulates channels for resolving grievances that may arise.
“We urge all parties to pursue dialogue through established channels and avoid actions that could disrupt operations or compromise safety.”
BusinessDay confirmed on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, that the protests had been suspended while negotiations were ongoing to resolve all matters.
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