Metro
Bayelsa Communities Panic Over Shell’s Alleged Gas Flare Plan
Published
2 years agoon
By
Editor
Residents of Gbarantoru and neighbouring communities in the Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State have raised the alarm over alleged preparations to flare noxious gas again by the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, a field report by the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria has said.
Investigation showed that in October 2009, SPDC ignited a gas flare furnace at midnight that woke the people to an environment polluted by noise and noxious gas emitted into the atmosphere.
According to the report released on Monday and signed by the field monitors of ERA/FoEN, Alagoa Morris and Akpotu Ziworitin, “a towering oil well drilling rig” has already been raised by Shell with a possibility that it could “set up the gas flare stack, and flare gas…”
The report said, “Incidentally, Shell would flare horizontally, at ground level. Considering the proximity to the community and living homes, the leadership of Gbarantoru and Ekpetiama kingdom is very much concerned about the health implications on inhabitants, even as the community has witnessed expansion.”
A resident of the community, Kembia Paul, said the impending igniting of the gas flare furnace “is not good for human health,” adding that expectedly the gas flare furnace would be ignited at midnight any day soon.
READ ALSO: Minister Meets Bayelsa Monarchs In moves To Tackle Oil Theft
She said, “Even this one (the raised rig), it was (done) in the night; we just woke up and saw that they had done it (raised the rig). So, definitely igniting of the gas flare furnace is expected in the night. Since it is not good for human health (children are here), if there is anything they can do to help, we are interested because of our health.”
The report also quoted the Chairman of the Progressive Forum of Gbarantoru, Dakolo Ineikade, as recalling that the last time Shell flared gas, “it affected our crops, buildings, and we couldn’t sleep. The same thing is about to happen.”
Ineikade advised the oil firm to move the activity elsewhere because the inhabitants of the area would not accept the hazardous effects of the noxious emission.
“This gas flare that is about to occur here, I, a former youth leader and other concerned members of the community, have taken it upon ourselves that we will stand and make sure the gas flare won’t take place. SPDC should take it elsewhere…we are the immediate impacted community,” he said.
Also speaking, the monarch of Ekpetiama Kingdom, King Bubaraye Dakolo, described the activity as an aggression against the community people and indeed the Ijaw nation in general.
READ ALSO: Spill: Odimodi Community Decries Abandonment Of Broken Valve By Shell
“From all indications, as they are drilling currently, definitely it will get to a point where they will flare gas.
“Flaring means putting those nuzzles into my nostrils and pumping me with those noxious chemicals. And, even if I can stand it, how many persons in the community would be able to stand it? So, definitely, people would die and you won’t even know that it is caused by poison from Shell. I don’t really blame Shell. Why would the Nigerian state, with all the NUPRC, and all the regulators just sit there, and people will come and kill people? So, what is your job as a regulator?”
When contacted, the Media Relations Manager, SPDC, Mr Michael Adande, said he would make contacts and get back to our correspondent but had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.
Recall that Ijaw nation stakeholders under the auspices of the Ijaw National Congress had, at the weekend, demanded that divesting International Oil Companies should clean up the polluted sites around the environments of their host communities in Ijaw land before pulling out of the Niger Delta.
They made their position known in a communique after a one-day dialogue organised by the INC at its national headquarters in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, with the theme, ‘The imperative for paradigm shift’. The forum was presided over by the President of INC, Prof Benjamin Okaba.
READ ALSO: FG’ll Approve Shell’s $2.4bn Asset Sale – Minister
The PUNCH reports that oil giant, Shell, announced on January 15, 2024, that it had agreed to sell its Nigerian onshore oil assets to Renaissance, a consortium of four Nigerian companies and one foreign firm for $2.4bn.
Shell, which had been operating in Nigeria for over 60 years, in a statement by its London office, said with the deal, its onshore subsidiary, the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, would now be operated by ND Western, Aradel Energy, First E&P, Waltersmith, and Petrolin, a Swiss company.
The oil major, however, stated that the completion of the deal was still subject to approval by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
On Thursday last week, the Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, said it was not opposed to Shell’s sale of oil assets.
A statement signed by Nneamaka Okafor, the Special Adviser on Media and Communication to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, affirmed the government’s commitment to providing the enabling business-friendly environment in the country’s oil and gas industry.
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Metro
My Ex-wife Refused To Pack Out Of My House After Our Marriage Was Dissolved, Man Tells Court
Published
52 minutes agoon
September 13, 2025By
Editor
…I contributed N650,000 to the building of the house —Wife
…You’re now a tenant and trespassing, move out, court orders woman
A man, Quadri, has dragged his ex-wife, Gbemisola, before Grade A Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, on the account of illegal possession of his properties, a three-bedroom apartment she was living in and also his shop, where she displayed her goods.
Quadri stated that Gbemisola had been in possession of these properties for more than one year, after the court had pronounced their wedlock dissolved.
According to Quadri, since they were no longer husband and wife, he regarded Gbemisola as either a tenant or a trespasser.
He further stated that he served
Gbemisola notices to quit but that she remained adamant.
The plaintiff thus prayed the court to rule that the defendant should vacate both his house and shop without delay.
READ ALSO:My Wife Sleeps In Leggings, Denies Me Sex —Husband
Quadri in his testimony said: “My marriage to my wife was pronounced dissolved by this honourable court last year August after I brought a divorce suit against her as a result of her atrocities which I could no longer tolerate.
“The court declared that we ceased to be husband and wife and ordered that we go our different ways.
“My lord, my ex-wife has refused to obey the court’s ruling.
“She insisted that she would neither move out of my house nor pack her wares from my shop.
“I raised these buildings through my sweat, but she is now laying claim to them.
“I enlightened my ex-wife in line with the law that she has automatically become a tenant or regarded as trespassing on my property since our marriage has been dissolved, but she obviously did not realise the gravity of these offences.
READ ALSO:My Wife Harasses, Slaps Me All The Time —Husband
“I served her quit notices, but she remained adamant.
“My lord, I came to court that it might rule that my ex-wife vacates my three-bedroom apartment and shop without delay.”
Gbemisola, however, refused to be addressed as a tenant.
The defendant explained that she and the plaintiff both contributed financially to the construction of two properties he was now solely laying claim to.
Gbemisola insisted that the properties be sold and the proceeds from the sale shared among her, her ex-husband, and their children.
READ ALSO:Court Orders Divorce-seeking Woman To Pay Her Husband N120,000
Gbemisola said in her evidence: “I refused to be addressed as a tenant in the house I contributed my hard-earned money towards its building.
“The two properties my husband is laying claim to are products of our joint efforts, so I cannot be referred to as trespassing.
“He bought the land for N700,000, while I contributed three times towards the building project.
“I contributed N200,000, N150,000 and N300,000 respectively.
“I visited the site at three different times to inspect the construction work going on at that time.
“I did not document the amount I contributed and those of other expenses because I did all I did out of love, and also for the sake of our children.
READ ALSO:My Husband Gives Me Only N50 For Food, Woman Tells Court
“He wants me to vacate the said apartment and shop because he wants to remarry.
“He wants to cheat me, and I will not allow it.
“My lord, I pray that the court should rule that we sell both properties and share the proceeds from it into three.
“He will take a share, I will take mine, and our children also will have theirs.”
The court president, Mrs S.M. Akintayo, giving her judgment stated that the defendant had no right to still be in possession of both property, the three-bedroom apartment, and shop since the court had dissolved their union after the plaintiff dragged her to court, laid claims against her and judgment was given after the court had heard both parties.
According to Akintayo, a landlord has unfiltered legal right to terminate a tenancy upon giving adequate notices.
She added that it is a settled position of law and requirement of the law that a landlord can claim possession of a premise once the required statutory notices have been issued and served on the tenant.
Akintayo ruling said, “The court hereby orders the defendant to vacate the three-bedroom apartment and shop on or before September 12,2025.”

…My father- in-law acceded to it —Husband
A man of Lusaka, Zambia, Jackson Changwe, 48, admitted to the court that, “Yes indeed, it was he who had fathered three children with his wife and also impregnated her sister.”
Asked why he was sleeping with the two sisters, Jackson claimed that it was because his wife always deserted their home whenever they had a quarrel hence his appointing her younger sister to act in her capacity as wife until she cools down and returns home.
According to Zambia Observer, Jackson also said he had been allowed by his father in-law to sleep with his wife’s younger sister.
READ ALSO:I’m No Longer Interested In My 4-month-old Marriage To My Husband — Wife
However, his wife, Mirriam Namutowe, claimed that Jackson was a womaniser.
She claimed that for years, he had lied to her that he would work in Namibia, yet, he did not have an ordinary passport size photo and used the so-called Nambia trips to visit other women.
Challenged with this fact, Jackson begged for the court not to dissolve his marriage claiming he will stop sleeping with the now pregnant sister-in-law.
His pleas were not enough as the court dissolved their marriage and ordered him to pay his wife K12,000 in K500 installments.
Metro
Job Seekers Protest Alleged Fake Employment Letters For Ondo Teaching Jobs
Published
13 hours agoon
September 12, 2025By
Editor
Hundreds of aggrieved job seekers on Friday staged a protest at the Governor’s Office, Alagbaka, Akure, the Ondo State capital, over alleged fake letters of employment issued to them for teaching positions in the state.
The protesters, who had applied for teaching jobs under the state’s civil service, barricaded the entrance to the Governor’s Office while demanding immediate inclusion in the ongoing biometric capturing exercise for newly recruited teachers by the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).
According to the protesters’ claims, despite possessing ‘official-looking’ appointment letters purportedly issued by SUBEB and the State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), their names were not included in the official list of successful candidates scheduled for the exercise.
READ ALSO:Tragedy As Suspect In Ondo Varsity Students’ Murder Dies In Police Custody
While armed with placards of various inscriptions, the job seekers chanted solidarity songs and called on the state government to intervene.
A source said, “The affected members of the newly recruited teachers in Ondo State are protesting their disengagement from the capturing exercise due to backdoor appointment letters issued to them by unscrupulous directors of the personnel at SUBEB and TESCOM offices.”
In a reaction, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Ebenezer Adeniyan, confirmed that the protesters had been scammed with fake appointment letters by some unknown people.
“People should please note that those who protested are not teachers but applicants who were duped by some individuals during the recruitment process.
READ ALSO:Fake Labubu Dolls Worth Millions Seized In London Raid Amid Growing Safety Fears
“They all paid money to scammers who issued them fake letters of appointment.
“Those legitimately recruited by the government have been absorbed and have started working,” the CPS stated.
The government, however, maintained that the genuine recruitment exercise is being handled transparently and urged applicants to be wary of fraudsters exploiting the process.
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