Leaders and youths of the Itsekiri ethnic nationality shutdown the Warri Regional Office of Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) to protest alleged move by the commission on the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
The Olu of Warri, as the overlord of all Itsekiri communities, had compiled a list of Hosts Communities Trust Funds (HCTFs) but some indigenes are kicking against it noting that it was not specified in the PIA.
The placards carrying protesters stormed the NUPRC office along the Warri-Sapele Road preventing staff of the commission access to their offices.
They erected canopies at the gate entrance threatening to continue to occupy the area until the management of the regulatory commission Abuja attend to their demands.
Some of their placards has the following inscriptions “On Olu of Warri We Stand on PIA We Stand,” “NUPRC Must Operate Within The Rule Of Law of The PIA and “Allow IOCs Breath” amongst others.
Prior to the commencement of the protests, the Itsekiris had thrown their weight behind the list of representatives of communities compiled by the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse 111 as required by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA)
The Ologbotsere of Warri Kingdom, Chief Oma Eyewuoma, said , at the commencement of the PIA, the king invited all the Itsekiri communities to make nominations noting that the decision by the royal father was to ensure the active involvement of all the Itsekiri communities in line with the provisions of the Act .
Eyewuoma warned that no group or organisation should alter what the people had compiled through the king and warned that any attempt to do otherwise, the people would “shut down all the flow stations and oil facilities in their domain.”
He said the oil and gas supervisory institutions, particularly the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) should ensure things were done within the ambit of the law.
Spokesman of the protesters, Mr. Tenuma Joseph Olori, said the Olu of Warri had constituted a board, known as Host Communities Trust Funds, for all Itsekiri communities as required by the PIA but alleged that a few people from the ethnic group were working against that for their selfish interests at the expense of the generality of Itsekiris.
He warned that the composition of the board made Olu of Warri, as the overlord of Iwereland, must be adhered to and that anything short of that will be met with stiff resistance.
Responding, the head of Warri Regional office , Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, Chief Ogunnubi Olusegun Benjamin noted demands of the protesters and assured them that the commission would speedily look into them.
Chief Ogunnubi who was represented by the Senior Manager NUPRC, Mr Dennis Eyitemi added that the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA was meant for the development of the oil producing communities, stressing that the commission would handle the protesters.
request in line with the provision of the Petroleum Industry Act
Mr Ogunnubi urged the protesters to be patient.
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