Residents of Egbelo Community in Abua/Odual Council of Rivers State have staged a protest against an oil firm operating in the community for neglect.

The protesters alleged the activities of the company have destroyed their farmland worth millions of naira.

The protesters, including the Chairman of the Community Development Committee (CDC), Rufus Goodluck, said the company also failed to pay compensation for the loss the community suffered as a result of the activities of the firm.

He said: “We are protesting the maltreatment and abandonment by Interlink Global of the Egbelo community. We are here to demand our rights, not a privilege. They came and informed the community they wanted to extend the site, and that they wanted to build a flow station. And our wives and mothers’ farmlands were given to them and we came to an agreement, they promised that they would pay the money on or before December 2022.”

Paramount ruler of the community, Camella Obolema-Robert, said the protest would continue until their demands are met. He said: “Interlink Global came to my community and destroyed our farmland used by our women. The company is still operating and they have dislodged us. We made a demand of N120 million for the women after we assessed the destruction.

“The women cried to me and I ordered them to go and protest so that the company would pay the money before they continue to extract oil. And when the company pays, I will allow my people to discontinue the protest,” he added.

A representative of the company, who addressed the protesters, promised to relay their demands to the authorities. (The Guardian)

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