The community of Ukpana in Onna Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, on Wednesday, took action by obstructing the operations of the oil firm, Natural Oilfield Services Limited (NOSL), in their region. The community claims that the activities of NOSL have led to the destruction of their environment, economic trees, water bodies, and traditional shrines.
The protestors specifically pointed out the bulldozing and sand filling of creeks, streams, and swamps, including locations such as Idim Mkpighe, Idim Uton, Etuk Enyang, and several others. Additionally, they cited the destruction of ancestral shrines such as Nkuku, Ikot Inwang, and Ikpaisong Ubop Owo, among others.
NOSL, operating jointly with the Nigeria National Petroleum Exploration and Production Limited, manages OML 13 in Oniong Clan, Onna LGA, engaging in activities related to oil and gas appraisal as well drilling.
The demonstrators, consisting of men, women, nursing mothers, and youths, invoked a traditional injunction, demanding the immediate cessation of the company’s operations until their grievances were addressed. Their placards conveyed frustration with what they perceived as the indifferent attitude of the company’s management, accusing them of ignoring the community’s concerns.
Some of the placards read ” NOSL has trespassed into our land without consulting us” ” You have destroyed our means of livelihood” “We have been made to suffer unduly in our own land” among others.
The village head of Ukpana, Chief Ranzi Bassey, who spoke with journalists after the protest lamented the massive destruction of their crops and economic trees, destruction of buildings and structures, noise pollution and others which warranted the village council to notify NOSL through their community Attorney–AIbom Oil Producing Community Development Network, AKIPCON, to no avail.
He said, “Ukpana people have been taken for granted since November 2019 when NOSL forcefully entered and cleared larger hectares of their farmlands, destroyed our houses, economic trees, food crops, building and structures, ancestral shrines /deities, fishing framing, streams, swamps, earth graves and tombstones with attendants health and human rights consequences”.
Chief Bassey said a lot of creeks, streams and swamps have been seriously bulldozed and sand-filled without the consent of villagers.
Also speaking, one of the protesters who identified himself as Joseph Israel lamented the economic hardship and insecurity posed on the youth of the community who have no alternative means of livelihood following the destruction inflicted on them by NOSL.
According to him ” the community has suffered untold hardship, unwanted trespass and destruction through oil exploration activities going on in the area. The massive destruction occurred during the construction of an access road to the appraisal well drilling site at the company’s operational base.”
