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Tag: Ogbinbiri

  • OML 40: Ogbinbiri community suspends protest against Elcrest E&P operations

    OML 40: Ogbinbiri community suspends protest against Elcrest E&P operations

    The Ogbinbiri Federated Community in Egbema Kingdom in Warri North, and Ikpoba-Okha Local Governments of Delta and Edo States respectively, has suspended its protest against the management of Elcrest E & P Ltd, operator of Abiala Field OML 40, over alleged exclusion and marginalisation in their oil exploration activities.

    On March 21st 2024, Ogbinbiri community leaders, including women and youths through a peaceful protest stopped the ongoing dredging work by Elcrest E & P Ltd to gain access to Abiala Field OML 40, over alleged refusal by the management of the company to engage them in a talk on their oil exploration activities.

    The Ogbinbiri Community leaders while addressing journalists during a peaceful protest to draw government attention to what they termed “ungodly act” of the management of Elcrest E & P Ltd operating Abiala Field OML 40, frowned at the company refusal to recognise Ogbinbiri community as a host community.

    National Chairman and President-General, Hon. Benedict Miyebi, said the community resorted to peaceful protest when all efforts to dialogue through different letters to the Managing Director, Elcrest E & P Ltd, failed to yield the desired results.

    However, following the intervention of critical stakeholders, including security agencies, representatives of Delta State government, and top management of Elcrest E&P Ltd, the protest has been suspended to give room for dialogue by the parties.

    Announcing the suspension of the protest in a statement Miyebi explained as a peaceful community, they called it off with the belief all parties will keep to their side of agreement.

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    “I want to inform the public that following a stakeholder meeting today, Wednesday, at Warri and intervention by other key stakeholder in the faceoff between Ogbinbiri Federated Community in Egbema Kingdom, and the management of Elcrest E&P Ltd, we have suspended our protest to give room for positive and productive dialogue.

    “The Ogbinbiri Community and Elcrest have reached some understanding after the disagreement that led to the protest and stoppage of Elcrest operation at Abiala Field OML 40; at a meeting held on Wednesday 3/4/24 at Warri after extensive and exhaustive deliberations resolved to suspend the protest and demobilised persons hitherto mobilised for that purpose, with immediate effect.

    “We the people of Ogbinbiri Federated Community in Egbema Kingdom are very peaceful and hospitable, and we want development to come to our place, hence we chose the path of peace, we want to also believe that management of Elcrest E&P Ltd will not renege in their promise to opening engage with the leadership of Ogbinbiri Federated Community.

    “While we await their response, I on behalf of the leadership of Ogbinbiri Federated Community in Egbema Kingdom, called on all our youths to suspend all actions and allow the management of Elcrest E&P Ltd to continue with their works while we explore the dialogue channels open by this stakeholders meeting, even as we pray that we will not be push to this path in the future,” he said.

  • Abiala Field OML 40: Ogbinbiri protests alleged marginalisation, exclusion

    Abiala Field OML 40: Ogbinbiri protests alleged marginalisation, exclusion

    The Ogbinbiri Federated Community in Egbema Kingdom in Warri North and Ikpoba-Okha Local Governments of Delta and Edo State has urged the government of both States to call the management of Elcrest E & P Ltd operating Abiala Field OML 40, over talleged exclusion and marginalisation of their parent community in their oil exploration activities.

    They urged the government of Edo and  Delta State and the authorities of Federal Government to call the management of Elcrest E & P Ltd to order in order not to inginte another avoidable crisis in the Niger Delta Region.

    The Ogbinbiri Community leaders, while addressing journalists during a peaceful protest to what they termed “ungodly act” of the management of Elcrest E & P Ltd operating Abiala Field OML 40, whom has refused to recognise Ogbinbiri community as a host community, said the form has also refused to dialogue with community leaders on their oil exploration activities.

    Hon. Benedict Miyebi, 

    National Chairman and President-General said that the community resorted to peaceful protest when all efforts to dialogue through different letters to the Managing Director, Elcrest E & P Ltd, failed to yield the desired results.

    On March 21, 2024 in a letter addressed the Managing Director, Elcrest E & P Ltd, with references number, 

    OFC/EEPL/MD/LOS/004 signed by Hon. Benedict Miyebi, National Chairman and President-General and Opusenibo Wilfred Kari,  for the Secretary General, the community alleged the company has failed to enter talk with them, warning they can’t guarantee a peaceful environment for their operations at Abiala Field.

    The letter reads in part;

    “RECOGNISE OGBINBIRI COMMUNITY AS A HOST COMMUNITY TO YOUR COMPANY ELCREST E & PLTD OPERATING ABIALA FIELD OML 40 LTD WITHOUT WHICH WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GUARANTEE A PEACEFUL ENVIRONMENT FOR YOUR OPERATION AT ABIALA FIELD.

    “We wish to refer to our letters referenced OFC/EEPL/MD/LOS/001, OFV/EEPL/MD/003 dated 29/1/2024 and 14/03/2024 respectively and hereby put on notice that without the recognition of Ogbinbiri Community as a Host Community by your company Elcrest E & P Ltd operating Abiala Field OML 40, we may not be able to guarantee a peaceful environment for your operation at Abiala Field OML 40.

    “That Ogbinbiri Exploration Location 1 (Ogbinbiri well 1) in Abiala Field OML. 40 is in Ogbinbiri land as such should recognized as a Host Community.

    That Ogbinbiri is one of the nine (9) Traditional Towns in Egbema Kingdom while Ablała and other Communities are its villages or Communities. That Ogbinbiri is the Town (Parent Community) to Ablala and other Communities

    “Therefore, if a village produces oil, the Town (the parent Community), the Kingdom, the Local Government Area, the State and the Country become oil producing entity.

    “So, if a village produces oil and becomes a Host Community, the Town (the parent Community), the Kingdom, Local Government Area, the State and the Country become Host to the company; hence the oil it produces becomes part of the total production of Local Government, State and the Country at large.

    “We, therefore, State here that Ogbinbiri Community is a Host Community to Elcrest E & P Ltd and should be recognized as such. 

    “That your operation of the Ogbinbiri Exploration Location 1 (Ogbinbiri well 1) in Abiala Field OML 40 vis-a-vis the ongoing Dredging of the Access Routes to the Ogbinbiri Location 1 (Ogbinbiri well 1) in Ablala Field OML. 40, as well as the acquisition of Dump Site(s) in Ogbinbiri land without due consultation and agreement with Ogbinbiri Community is likely to cause crisis.

    “That all frantic efforts made by Ahalji Emmanuel Omoko to resolve this issue of the recognition of Ogbinbirn Community as a Host Community to your company Elcrest E & P Ltd prove abortive. From us we say, kudos to him.

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    “In view of the above, we wish to State here that we may not be able to guarantee a peaceful Environment for your operation at Abiala Filed OML 40.”

    On March 19, 2024 in another letter to the The Managing Director, Elcrest E & P Ltd, which was copied to The AIG, Nigeria Police Force, Zone 5, Benin City, Edo State; the Brigade Commander, Nigeria Army, 4 Brigade, Benin City, Edo State; the State Director, Directorate of State Service, Benin City, Edo State; the Commanding Officer, Nigeria Army, 90 Amphibious Battalion, Koko, Delta State was also ignored by the company.

    Efforts to reach the management of Elcrest E & P Ltd prove abortive. Calls to their official mobiles  were yet to be picked as of the time of filing this report