Elders, women and youth leaders from various communities in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State have bemoaned neglect by Conoil companies and refusal to pay adequate compensations for environmental degradation.

The communities numbering about ten vowed to continue protesting against an oil prospecting firm for refusing to pay adequate compensations for the degradation of their land.

The communities include, Olubakagbene 1, Olubakagbene 2, Ibareboteigbene, Tangagbene, Ojorborgbene, Uguregbene, Torusorighagbene, Obeghagbene, Pimougbene, Ebadoughene, Tolosanweigbene and Konuwei/Kunuborgbene in Warri North Local Government Area.

According to the leaders of these communities, who frowned over the claims that no oil was found in the community, saying the oil firm lied and would not allow the firm remove its rigs and other machinery without making any payment for damages done to the community land.

The leaders in a statement issued and signed by the community elders, Chief Fela Lala, Chief Ugami Paymaster, Apostle Esike Macaulay, Chief Miyenkebogha Ugure, Chief Daniel Obegha amongst others and made available to journalists in Akure, alleged that several protest carried out for the compensation to be paid were ignored by the oil company.

The statement said the firm has completed its project and claimed that they found no oil deposits in the affected communities, and said “This company, Enixco Ultimate Venture came to the communities without having agreement with anybody and when the communities involved meet with them, they pleaded for their wrongs and promises that Coinoil will do all that we ask for.

“A lots of damages was done to the communities farmland and facilties. The only govt primary school at Olubakagbene was affected and no reasonable compensation was done to these communities on these damages.

“We embarked on several peaceful protests but they remained adamant to meet our demands even after the Delta State Government told them to do the needful.

“This ongoing peaceful protest will not stop untill all our demands are met. We appealed to the Nigeria Army to call its personnel attached to these companies to order. We were being threatened in our own land. Nobody can take away what belongs to us in our fathers lands," the statement added. (Nigerian Tribune)

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