Security Operatives Kill One, Disperse Protesting Youths at Conoil offshore platform in Bayelsa

publish on June 3, 2023

From Mike Tayese, Yenagoa

A supposedly peaceful protest by youths of Sangana community in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa state turned sorrowful following the shooting at a boat conveying the protesters to an oilfield operated by Conoil in the area.

It was learnt that Ikiowori Benson, one youth, hit by the gunshot lost his life, while two persons in the team of community youths were still missing and others critically injured after the incident reportedly happened on Monday.

Armed security personnel attached to the offshore facility christened “Antie Julie”, within 0ML 59 operated by Conoil, opened fire on the youths when they approached the facility to demand the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Conoil and Sangana.

Reacting to the incident, Ambrose Timipre-Ayah, the youth leader of Sangana said that he and 10 other youths from the community approached the Conoil facility unarmed, with the sole aim of registering their displeasure with the company.

He said he was shocked when the armed security operatives opened fire on them, killing one person instantly. He said two persons were missing and two others receiving treatment at Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa.

Also, Rueben Preboye, the Community Development Committee (CDC) Chairman of Sangana, noted that while Conoil has been operating in the community for about 25 years, the company has been delaying the implementation of the MoU.

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According to him, the MoU lasts for three years subject to renewal, noting that the 2013, 2016, 2019 and 2022 MoUs have not been implemented and accumulated over 300million naira and 420-million-naira worth of projects.

The Sangana CDC chairman said he had the same issue with Conoil when he was the youth leader of the community in 2010.

However, when contacted, Mr. Richard Adebayo, the Community Relations Manager of Conoil declined to comment on the incident.

The spokesman of the joint military force deployed to protect facilities in the Niger Delta, Major Adenegan Ojo could not be reached by telephone and has yet to respond to sms requesting reaction.

It will be recalled that on Oct 31, 2021, a gas leak from a rig Adriatic-1 within the oilfield contaminated the environment in the community and attracted regulatory sanctions by the National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency