By Our Correspondent
THE Itsekiri Liberation Group (ILG) has stated that they would not tolerate any act of intimidation by any group or groups of persons, even as they cautioned the management of Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) to abide by the rule of law and accord their Itsekiri host communities their due rights and privileges.
In a statement signed by the Chairman and secretary, Comrades Mone Oris and Omagbemi Ajofortan, the ILG stated that the spill which covers Abiteye, Otunana and Markaraba impacted negatively on these communities including the some Ijaw fishing camps and settlers under the overlord ship of the Olu of Warri.
According to the statement, “Abiteye flow station is owned by Bateren and Deghele communities and the place where the flow station is situated was given to the Multinational Companies by the Itsekiri people under the overlordship of Olu of Warri”, saying “that Otunana and Markaraba Oil Fields operated by multinational oil and gas giant, Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL belongs to Omadino community who gave Gulf, now Chevron Nigeria Limited the said lands to operate in and any occupants in those lands or areas are customary tenants to the Omadino Itsekiri people”.
While stating that the case of ownership of land in those areas has long been decided by the Supreme Court of Nigeria in favor of Omadino, Bateren and Deghele communities and charged Chevron Nigeria limited and it’s management not to indulge in any act outside the law by conniving with the Ijaws of Gbaramatu to perpetuate illegality that could lead to anarchy in Itsekiri land.
The Itsekiri group therefore task the Delta State Government to compel Chevron Nigeria Limited to involve all Itsekiri Host Communities and their ijaw inhabitants in the Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) operation to forester peace in the riverine communities in order to tackle and arrest the destruction, degradation and devastation of aquatic lives and vegetation resulting from the spill caused by failure of Chevron’s facility.
“The Itsekiri Liberation Group (ILG) will not tolerate any act of intimidation, suppression or attempt to circumvent and shortchange us by the Government, Chevron management and neighbours. Let it be known that we are ready to resist any such attempt with our last blood and stop any acts to rewrite our history by any group of persons”, the statement warned.
