We will not tolerate planned protests to disrupt Aiteo’s oil production – Bayelsa govt

Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa

Bayelsa government has said it would not fold its arms and allow a protest planned for Dec. 26 to disrupt oil production at Oil Mining Lease (OML) 29, operated by Aiteo Eastern Exploration.

The Bayelsa government in a statement issued on Sunday by Chief Ayiba Duba warned the masterminds of the planned protest in Nembe Basambiri that youths and chiefs council activities remain suspended in the area.

According to the state government, the security agencies have been alerted of the plot calculated to halt oil production at the OML 29 oil fields and deprive the state of the much-needed oil derivation revenue.

Duba noted that the government would not want anyone under any guise to breach the prevailing peace in Nembe Basambiri and across Bayelsa.

“The attention of the Bayelsa State Government has been drawn to a planned protest on Tuesday 26/12/2023 by some individuals in Nembe Bassambiri in Nembe Local Government Area of the State who have constituted themselves into Youth and Chiefs Councils.

“The public should note that the activities of these individuals violate the subsisting suspension placed on all youth and chiefs’ councils’ activities in Bassambiri in the wake of a violent crisis traceable to the unwholesome conducts of the youth body and chiefs’ council in the area in August 2023.

“The protest being planned by these individuals against Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production Company will not only disrupt the activities of the company but also breach the peace, undermine public order and safety as well as possible destruction of oil and gas infrastructure in the state,” Duba said.

Oil production at OML 29 has remained comatose for two due to unsustainable levels of oil theft on vandalism on the 97-kilometre Nembe Creek Trunk Line (NCTL).

Aiteo, the indigenous oil firm that acquired the asset for $ 2.4 billion following divestment by Shell recently discarded the NCTL and resorted to direct export using a Floating Production Storage and Offloading Vessel.

The Bayelsa government explained that the planned protest was not only an insult to the state’s authority but also a sabotage of the Nigerian economy.

“Therefore, the government wishes to warn those involved in this yet another attempt to undermine the public peace in Nembe under the guise of protest against oil companies to abort it immediately as there will be consequences for any unruly conduct.

“All security agencies in the state have been put on a red alert and will not hesitate to do everything within their means to prevent infractions in Nembe and indeed the entire state. To be forewarned is to be forearmed,” he said.