Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state.

By Francis Sadhere

Imminent crisis is looming between Ukpiovwin and Oghior communities both in Udu Council Area of Delta State over recent oil spill and fire incident that occurred at the Abura Flow line OML 65, belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC).

Both communities have been at each others throat ever since the spill occurred in Oct. 27, 2016 as both communities continue to trade words over who owns the land.

Reacting to reports in one of the national dailies by the chairman of the Oghior community, Mr. Wisdom Ghaghara who allegedly lay claim to the land where the spill occurred, the President General of Ukpiovwin community, Mr Lucky Ejenavwo on Thursday told newsmen that the report was not true.

Ejenavwo said that contrary to the claim by Oghior community that they were the owner of the land were the spill and subsequent fire occurred at Abura Flow line, verifiable indices have shown that the portion of the land belonged to Ukpiovwin people, calling on NNPC and Nigerians in general to disregard the said report.

While calling on his people to remain calm, Ejenavwo said ”The publication by Oghior Community, with respect to the oil spill and subsequent fire incident at Abura Flow line published on page 33 of the Vanguard Newspaper of Tuesday November 29, 2016 is amusing.”

He described the publication as frivolous, baseless and a calculated attempt to cause disaffection between both communities.

He explained that the Abura Flowline OML 65 transverse seven communities which included: Emadadja, Ubogo, Ogbe-Udu, Ogolor-waterside and Ogolor-inland, emphasizing that the area in question belongs to his people.

Ejenavwo, who is also a Surveillance Contractor, said when the spill occurred on the Abura Flow line, he was the one that drew the attention of the NPDC officials to the development.

He said, ”Following my report, NPDC on Oct. 27, 2016, send a team for the JIV text. The JIV text was concluded on Nov. 25. On Nov. 27, 2016, within the hours of 800 and 900 hours, my Youth Leader, Mr. Adile James, called my Cell phone to inform me that there was fire incident at the Abura Flowline where the spill occured.

”I immediately sent a text message to the Manager Security Department, NPDC and Warri Field Office (WFO) to send fire fighters to the scene. We make bold to say that the land where the spill and subsequent fire incident occurred at Abura Flowline OML 65, belongs to Ukpiovwin Community and not Oghior as claimed by Ghaghara and his cohorts,” he said.

It would be recalled that both communities have had fracas earlier in the year over land issue in which scores were injured.