Oil Spill: Don’t Exclude Legitimate Host Communities From JIV, Itsekiri Youths Caution Chevron

A coalition of Itsekiri Youth Leaders from Deghele, Bateren and Omadino Communities in Warri South-West and Warri South Local Government Areas of Delta State, have cautioned Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL against any plot to exclude their communities under Abiteye Field from the Joint Investigation and Verification, JIV exercise, the multinational oil and gas company intends to carry out, alongside other stakeholders, saying any such plan would be disastrous.

There are indications that following protests resulting from the oil spill and the subsequent occupation of Chevron’s facilities, the company has concluded arrangements to carry out JIV, with a view to ascertain if the Oil Spill at the Abiteye and Utonana Fields, including the 16” Makaraba-Utonana-Abiteye Right of Way (ROW) was caused by its equipment failure or by a third party infraction.

The youth leaders; Mr. Ben Eburajolo, Prince Friday Etuwewe and Mr. Joshua Ghereje, in a press statement signed on behalf of youths of Deghele, Bateren and Omadino Communities respectively, advised Chevron Nigeria Limited to be mindful of the legitimate owners of the land where its operational facility is situated and not fall for any form of intimidation, to avoid being dragged into preventable round of litigation and operational crisis.

The statement dated Friday, April 2, 2021 enjoined the Delta State Commissioner for Oil and Gas, Prince Emmanuel Amgbaduba and other high ranking political figures in Delta State Government, to adhere strictly to the dictates of their responsibilities toward all Deltans, particularly the legitimate host communities of Chevron, so as not to be seen as promoting bigotry.

Whilst referring to the fair manner the Delta State Government distributed relief materials to victims of the Oil Spill in the Chevron host communities of Warri South-West and Warri South, cutting across the different ethnic divides as a rational approach, the Itsekiri youth leaders, appealed to the Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa and other critical stakeholders to properly guide Chevron Nigeria Limited in its planned JIV.