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Joe Effiong, Uyo
A new pressure group, known as Akwa Ibom Avengers, has emerged and has given international oil companies (IOCs) operating in the state three months to relocate their headquarters.
Akwa Ibom Avengers said it was set up with the sole purpose of “fighting for the liberation of the Oil Producing Areas, and Akwa Ibom in general.”
The group was formed on June 3, by ex-militants from Akwa Ibom State, said to have been involved in the Niger Delta struggle, who gathered at the coastal area of Ibeno Local Government Area of the state, to discuss the effect of the “oil operation, marginalisation and neglect of the oil-producing area by the Federal Government of Nigeria and the multinational oil companies.”
A statement signed by “Gen” Ekpo Ekpo and Comdr. Jimmy Ulor, leader and spokesman of the group, respectively, said “the group was formed after careful deliberation, leading to the general house adopting the name among other resolutions.”
The Akwa Ibom Avengers asked government to dissolve all Community Relations Committee (CRC) and set up a central committee which shall include the representatives of the youths, women and ex-militant leaders.
They said present members of the committee have failed by conniving with the companies to defraud the community of their benefits.
“It is very shameful that we have CRC members but, today, Akwa Ibom has less than seven percent of their indigenes working in the oil, gas and servicing companies operating in the state while the major contracts/supplies both onshore and offshore have been given to non-indigenes.
“This is against the Local Content Law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“We totally condemn the recent plan by Total E&P Nigeria Limited to award surveillance job directly to the communities through the traditional rulers, which is against such practice in other states of the Niger Delta and the reintegration process of the federal government.
“We, therefore, demand that the award of such contract be given to ex-militant leaders.
“We, hereby, give Exxon Mobil, other major oil companies and servicing companies three months ultimatum to staff all the indigenes of Akwa Ibom State working with them as contract staff (slave).
“We also demand that Mobil return all their unprofessional foreigners who they brought into Nigeria.
“We also demand that Oriental Energy, Addax, Moni-Pulo, Chevron, Amni International, Universal Energy, Frontier Oil, Total, Mobil and many others including their servicing companies should relocate their headquarters to Akwa Ibom, implement Local Content Policy or be prepared to leave.
“Finally, we call on the federal government of Nigeria, government of Akwa Ibom state, the Department of Petroleum Resources, the Nigeria Nationa Petroleum Corporation to call all these companies to order otherwise, we will be left with no other option than to shut down their operation in the state,” the group threatened.
