Three oil producing communities threaten SEPLAT operations

Three oil producing communities in Edo State – Obozogbe-Nugu, Ikobi and Iguelaba – all in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of the state, have given Seplat Development Petroleum Company, an oil company operating in the area, 30 days ultimatum to reverse the name of the Oben oil and gas field to Obikobig oil and gas field or face grave consequences.

In a statement issued by the leaders of the three communities, they recalled that the name Obikobig, which is an acronym coined from the first two initials of Obozogbe-Nugu, Ikobi, Oben and Iguelaba communities, which is synergy made up Oben oil and gas field, located in OML 4, Oben in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State following the resolution of the late Benin monarch, Omo N’ Oba N’ Edo Uku Akpolokpolor, Oba Erediauwa, in 2011.

The communities pointed out that this cohesion and amalgamation was to promote peace and unity among the four oil and gas host communities.

They noted that due to the aforementioned point, “we hereby use this medium to condemn the action of Oben Community in fronting for their personal interest, which is against the resolution of the late Benin monarch.

We use this medium to tell the general public, including federal, state, local government and oil company (Seplat Development Company) that Oben oil and gas field does not solely belong to Oben Community.

In order to promote the desired peace and harmony in our region, the four community thereby resolved, after carefully surveying the modus operandi, we found out there seems to be an iota of personal aggrandizement perpetrated by Oben community because the name of the oil field remains Oben oil and gas field.

We thereby resolved that the name Oben oil and gas field be changed to Obikobig oil and gas field, in compliance to the resolution of the Benin Monarch in 2011.
This will further promote the desired peace and harmony in our region.
We thereby give Seplat thirty days ultimatum to reverse the name from Oben oil and gas field to Obikobig oil and gas filed”.

For the Environmental Impact Assessment, the communities noted that they were not against negotiations for payment of compensation “but it should not be done without involving Obozogbe-Nugu, Ikobi, Oben, Iguelaba, Orogho both of Ugu ward and all negotiations should not be done without involving Obozogbe-Nugu, Ikobi, Oben, Iguelaba, Orogho, both of Ugu ward and all negotiations must be done through the various communities heads, Enogie/Odionwere as the case may be.

They urged the Federal, State, Local Governments and the oil company (Seplat Development Petroleum Company) to transact all business regarding Oben oil and gas field with the four communities and not Oben alone, in order to avoid crisis.