NEWS
Nembe E&P Accuses Bayelsa Govt of Unjustly Linking It to Deadly Communal Violence, Demands Retraction
Nembe E&P Accuses Bayelsa Govt of Unjustly Linking It to Deadly Communal Violence, Demands Retraction
Nembe E&P denies involvement in the October 19 clash between Dieama and Okpoama communities, which reportedly left one person dead and several others injured.
Company demands evidence linking it to the violence and challenges Governor Douye Diri’s directive suspending its land acquisition activities in Brass LGA.
Oil firm identifies disagreements over black sand mining, community leadership and control of natural resources as issues underlying the communal dispute.
Nembe E&P demands a public retraction, threatens legal action and calls for an independent investigation into the violence.
November 6, () – Nembe Exploration and Production Company Limited, operator of Oil Mining Lease 29 (OML 29), has accused the Bayelsa State Government of unjustly linking it to the deadly communal violence between Dieama and Okpoama communities, demanding an immediate retraction of the announcement associating the company with the crisis.
The oil firm also challenged Governor Douye Diri’s directive suspending its land acquisition activities in Brass Local Government Area, insisting that it neither instigated nor participated in the October 19 confrontation, which reportedly claimed one life and left several others injured.
In a statement issued by its board and obtained by on Friday, the company, formerly known as Aiteo Exploration and Production Company, described the government’s announcement as “unjustified, prejudicial and damaging” to its reputation and commercial interests.
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It maintained that the government had not presented any evidence linking it to the violence and demanded disclosure of the grounds upon which the decision to associate it with the crisis and suspend its land acquisition activities was taken.
Bayelsa Government Orders Suspension
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The dispute followed an announcement by the Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Mrs Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, that Governor Diri had ordered the suspension of all land acquisition activities and processes by the OML 29 operator in Brass LGA until further notice.
The state government had disclosed that the conflict between Dieama and Okpoama communities resulted in one death, while several other persons sustained serious injuries.
It also said the police had restored calm in the affected communities and appealed to residents, particularly youths, to refrain from actions capable of escalating the crisis.
However, Nembe E&P disputed the basis of the government’s action, arguing that the confrontation stemmed from disagreements over black sand mining, community leadership and control of natural resources.
Company Links Crisis to Black Sand Mining Dispute
According to the company, accounts obtained from the communities indicated that a senior state government official convened a meeting involving representatives of Dieama and Okpoama on October 8 to resolve the disagreements.
At the meeting, the parties reportedly agreed that black sand mining activities should stop pending further directives from the state government.
Nembe E&P alleged that mining operations continued in Dieama despite the agreement, prompting members of Okpoama community to visit the mining site on October 11 and halt the activities.
It said the October 19 violence occurred against the backdrop of the unresolved dispute.
The company further alleged that its investigations linked the disputed black sand mining operations to Starant Mining Limited, while disagreements over community leadership and resource control compounded tensions between the two communities.
It nevertheless acknowledged that the accounts required independent verification, insisting that the government should investigate the underlying issues rather than associate the company with the violence.
Nembe E&P Questions Legality of Suspension
On the proposed land acquisition, Nembe E&P explained that the proposal was presented through a third party with which it had other business transactions.
It maintained that it had no representative on the team that visited the proposed site for negotiations, adding that the visit ended without incident.
The company also questioned the legal basis of the suspension order, arguing that the government failed to identify any breach committed by Nembe E&P, specify the duration of the suspension or cite the statutory provisions under which the directive was issued.
It further challenged the government to explain why the alleged continuation of black sand mining activities had not been addressed following the October 8 meeting.
Firm Threatens Legal Action, Demands Retraction
Demanding a formal retraction, the company insisted that any corrective announcement should receive publicity and circulation commensurate with the original publication.
It also warned that it reserved its legal rights to challenge the government’s directive and seek appropriate remedies to protect its reputation, operations and commercial interests.
The company called for a thorough and independent investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the violence and resolve the underlying disagreements between Dieama and Okpoama communities.
It said addressing the issues surrounding black sand mining, community leadership and resource control was necessary to prevent further escalation of the dispute.
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