Bayelsa halts oil firm’s land acquisition after fatal clash
The Bayelsa State Government has ordered the operator of Oil Mining Lease 29 (OML 29) to suspend all land acquisition activities in Brass Local Government Area following a dispute between two communities that left one person dead and several others seriously injured.
The affected communities are Dieama and Okpoama, according to a statement by the Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai.
*Nembe
Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa
The Bayelsa State Government has ordered the operator of Oil Mining Lease 29 (OML 29) to suspend all land acquisition activities in Brass Local Government Area following a dispute between two communities that left one person dead and several others seriously injured.
The affected communities are Dieama and Okpoama, according to a statement by the Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai.
The government identified Nembe Exploration and Production, formerly known as Aiteo Exploration and Production Company, as the operator of OML 29. The indigenous oil firm acquired the oil block following Shell’s divestment in 2014.
Koku-Obiyai said Governor Douye Diri had directed the company to halt all land acquisition activities and related processes until further notice.
She added that the police had restored peace in the affected area.
The governor urged the communities, particularly their youths, to remain calm and refrain from actions that could escalate the dispute.
The government reaffirmed its commitment to resolving the crisis peacefully and appealed to all parties to cooperate with efforts to restore lasting peace in the affected communities.
