The community noted that following the alleged tactics by the oil company in fuelling crisis in the area, series of letters were written for the need to promote and support peace but the letters never yielded any positive results.
Ojobo riverine community in the Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, host to the Shell Petroleum Development Company’s Benisede flow station, has warned the company against what it called “divide and rule tactics” even as it accused some officials of the oil company of fanning an intra-communal crisis in the area.
The community noted that following the alleged tactics by the oil company in fuelling crisis in the area, series of letters were written for the need to promote and support peace but the letters never yielded any positive results.
The petition was addressed to Osagie Osunbor, Managing Director and Country Chair, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd (SPDC), Freeman House, 21/22 Marina, Lagos, Nigeria, and titled "A Call On SPDC To Stop Its Divide And Rule Tactics To Avoid Another Ogoni Type Of Crisis In Ojobo Community.”
It was signed by some leaders and elders in the Ojobo community, Bibi-one Joseph Zuokumor, Ebis Moni, Dibi Yinkore and Asiro Nisiamo and obtained by SaharaReporters.
The community leaders recalled that in their efforts to ensure peace in Ojobo and create harmonious relationship between SPDC and the community, they had written series of letters to draw the company's attention to the alleged complicity of its officials in fueling intra-communal clashes in Ojobo.
"The latest of such SPDC officials induced crisis was the killing of two youths as a result of the tension-soaked community elections. As leaders and concerned by the state of affairs, we wrote to demand for dialogue as a means to resolve the issues raised in our earlier letters. After series of back and forth strategy from senior officials of SPDC who directly benefit from the local crisis in the community, the meeting took place on the 23rd day of August, 2023 at your Port Harcourt office where we presented the issues and our demands.
“It was agreed that there should be a follow-up meeting on the 14th day of September, 2023 in order for SPDC to respond to the issues raised by the community leaders. In addition, SPDC officials requested that the members of the current Ojobo community executive should be part of the meeting which was communicated to the chairman of Ojobo Community.
"However, we are taken aback that instead of consolidating on the gains of the first engagement to address the issues raised which are of concern to all indigenes of Ojobo community, SPDC has resorted to its usual divide and rule tactics by insisting on taking clearance or approval from the community executive council before having a follow-up meeting with prominent community and opinion leaders of Ojobo. SPDC did not seek such clearance before the first meeting of August 23rd, 2023.
“We regard this SPDC’s position as provocative and a subtle strategy by SPDC to cause divide and rule in Ojobo. The issues raised in the August 23rd, 2023 meeting between the community and SPDC which includes the death of two youths as a result of the interference of SPDC officials in the community election, violation of previous agreements among other issues that requires response from SPDC and not the community executive council.
"It is the very strong view of the Ojobo Community leadership that SPDC in its usual manner is bringing in the Ojobo Community executive council so as to run away from its responsibility and cause further internal crisis in Ojobo Community. We recall that such tactics led to crisis of monumental proportion in Ogoni land and other parts of the Niger Delta region which were orchestrated by SPDC.
“We have it in good authority that Mr. Nengi Brown and Mr. Evans Krukrubo who are in charge of community and corporate relations in SPDC and allegedly partake in Contract racketeering, who are also the architects instigating the persistent Ojobo Community internal conflicts and other related issues because of their personal and selfish business interests.
"We call on the management of SPDC to have a rethink about its efforts to keep the Ojobo Community perpetually in crisis while it continues with its oil exploration and exploitation activities. As responsible Community and opinion leaders, we have explored all efforts at peaceful dialogue and negotiation which have been frustrated by officials of SPDC, hence, the situation may soon get out of our control. We call on SPDC to as a matter of urgency reconvene the earlier schedule meeting to ensure peaceful resolution of the issues raised in the meeting of August 23rd, 2023. A stitch in time saves nine. SPDC is warned.”