‘We’ve been in darkness’ – Protesters shut down crude oil flow station in Delta

Angry protesters on Monday shutdown the flow-station in Jones Creek, an oil facility operated by the Management of NPDC/NECONDE OML 42 JV, after chasing workers away.

The protesters who are from Egwa, Odidi, Bayan and Okerenkoko communities in Warri-West, said they have been in darkness since December 2023.

They demanded that the oil firm must connect them to the gas turbine serving their yard for them to have light. They issued a three months ultimatum to the company to act on the demand.

The protesters, who are mainly women, chanted solidarity songs as they danced into the premises of the firm.

They carried placards with inscriptions such as,”NECONDE/NPDC No light, No Operation. Give us light”,” Okerenkoko Community is tired of darkness. Give us light. NECONDE/NPDC”,”Let there be light in Okerenkoko” and “Enough is enough of darkness”.

Leader of the protest, Esther Ene, in a chat with newsmen said the protesters will remain at the flow-station until their calls are heeded to by the oil firm.

“It’s light issue that brought us here. As we are here, if darkness is sweet, they should shutdown the flow-station so that we will stay in darkness with them,” she said.

Claiming that the community is the highest oil producer in the Niger Delta, Ene said, “We are not supposed to be in darkness.

“Anybody they will call from above, we are ready to stay with that person. If it’s Tinubu that comes here, we will stay with him here. They should find a way. The highest we are giving them is three months, we should have light day and night. They should fix the turbine for us so that we will have light.”

She said if the company fails to heed to their demand, they will shut down more of its flow-stations in the area.

One of the protesters, Akpoaboere HelpMe, who also spoke with newsmen, said, “We’re suffering. We don’t have drinking water. Only if rain falls before we can get water to drink.

“The situation has affected the Nigeria Maritime University, NMU. Students now go about in search of where to charge their mobile phones. Students can no longer study as many are leaving the town already.

“We are suffering again because there’s no network from telecommunication providers. NPDC/NECONDE OML 42 JV have refused to give us light. Please, give us light within the next three days or we shut you down completely.”