News
Gas Flaring: Edo Oil Producing Community Demands N500bn Compensation, Threatens Eviction
Published
2 years agoon
By
Editor
Joseph Ebi Kanjo, Benin
Irked by the activities of oil exploration and its consequent effects on their lives, natives of Gelegelegbene in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State, Friday, demanded N500billion compensation from oil companies operating in their community.
They said the compensation became necessary due to the huge impacts of gas flaring on their livelihood, adding that if the companies know they cannot pay the compensation, they should vacate the area.
They said that due to activities of oil companies and the resultant impacts, life has become unbearable for them as fishing and farming, which are their major occupations, have become impossible to engage in.
READ ALSO: FAAC Shares N1.100 Trillion To FG , States, LGs
Narrating their ordeal and at the same time their displeasure over impacts of oil exploration in their environment in a programme organised by Zero Waste Ambassador in Benin, natives of the community lamented that in spite of being people from oil producing community, they are living in abject poverty.
INFO DAILY reports that the programme held by Zero Waste Ambassador to expose the oil and gas crisis in Gelegelegbene was in collaboration with Environmental Rights Action/Friends if the Earth Nigeria; Africa Climate Justice and African People’s Counter Cop.
President, Host Communities Network of Nigeria, Prince Barbs Preye Pawuru lamented that oil producing communities are at the receiving end of the exploration companies, while government and oil companies are the beneficiaries.
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Pawuru stated: “We are from oil producing community yet many of our people iive in abject poverty. Due to oil exploration and gas flaring, our environment has been polluted; our water has been polluted.
“Their is frequent oil spill in the area, and this damages our environment. We depend on the environment for fishing, farming, but due to pollution and other impacts caused by oil exploration, we cannot fish, we cannot farm,” he added.
Also speaking, Mrs Mary Fedigha, a woman leader in the community said activities of oil companies particularly their heavy-duty equipment and gas fare have caused partial blindness and deafness to the people in the community, adding that drugs promised for treatment were not delivered to them.
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She added: “The company promised to build market in the community but till today we’ve not seen anything like that. The little contracts they ought to give to us are being given to outsiders. Take for instance, supply of fish that suppose to be given to us in the community is being given out, outsider supplies them fish.”
On her part, Secretary of the community women, Mrs Grace Emakpose said: “Our water is being polluted, we can’t do anything; we are stranded. Due to gas flaring, our women are having miscarriage,
“We want to say that if they cannot convert the gas to usable energy, they should leave our community.”
Also speaking, youth leader of the community, Ebikena Milton said: “Gele is a shadow of itself; we are suffering. Many of us (youths) are graduates who suppose to have jobs, but no job for us even as people from oil producing community. Even the empowerment programmes they brought to us are not working out. I will urge them to leave our community.”
News
Sanwo-Olu makes U-turn, Unblocks Lawyer Who Sued Him Over Blocking On X
Published
17 hours agoon
September 13, 2025By
Editor
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has unblocked human rights lawyer, Festus Ogun, on X after a meeting with him at Lagos House, Marina, on Friday.
The lawyer, who had accused the governor of rights violations, announced the development in a post on his X account on Saturday.
According to him, Sanwo-Olu personally invited him for a brief meeting to address his complaints.
“Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has unblocked me on X (Twitter). I met briefly with him yesterday at Lagos House Marina, on his invitation, to amicably resolve my complaint of human rights violations. We will continue to hold authorities accountable, regardless. Aluta continua!” Ogun wrote.
READ ALSO:Lawyer Sues Sanwo-Olu For Blocking Him On X
Tribune Online reports that Ogun had earlier filed a suit against Sanwo-Olu at a Federal High Court in Lagos, accusing him of violating his fundamental rights by blocking him on his verified X account.
In the suit marked FHC/L/CS/1739/25, which he shared on Facebook, the lawyer claimed the governor blocked him over his 2021 “constructive criticisms” and “demand for accountability” on the October 2020 #EndSARS killings.
“In 2021, I noticed that the Governor blocked me on his official X handle @jidesanwoolu owing to my constructive criticisms of his policies and demand for accountability in respect of the October 2020 #EndSARS Massacre.”
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Ogun said the action has prevented him from accessing vital government updates and information.
“Blocking me on X has prevented me from accessing public updates and receiving information about policies and governance in Lagos, which constitutes a violation of my right to receive information without interference,” he said.
In his originating summons, he asked the court to declare the move unconstitutional, arbitrary, and discriminatory.
News
Tragedy Deepens As Prime Suspect in Taraba Student’s Death Found Dead
Published
17 hours agoon
September 13, 2025By
Editor
The investigation into the death of Comfort Jimtop, a 100-level Mass Communication student at Taraba State University, has taken a dramatic turn following the discovery of the lifeless body of Emmanuel Kefas, the prime suspect in the case.
Kefas’s body was discovered on Friday in the Tudiri community, Ardo-Kola Local Government Area, under unclear circumstances, intensifying public concern and adding a tragic dimension to a case that has already gripped the university community and residents across Taraba State.
Confirming the development on Saturday, the spokesperson for the Taraba State Police Command, James Lashen, said the police received a report from the village head of Tudiri about the discovery.
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“A lifeless body was found in Tudiri, and a Tecno Android phone was recovered beside it,” Lashen stated.
“Upon charging the phone, investigators found a photograph showing the deceased with the late Comfort Jimtop, suggesting they were in a romantic relationship.”
Lashen added that the body has been taken to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Jalingo for autopsy. At the same time, efforts are ongoing to officially identify the remains through the suspect’s family.
READ ALSO:Four Feared Killed As Gunmen Attack Burial Ceremony In Anambra
Police have yet to determine whether Kefas’s death was the result of suicide, homicide, or an accident. Investigations into both deaths are continuing.
Comfort Jimtop’s mysterious death had earlier sparked outrage on campus and across the state, with students and rights groups demanding justice. Kefas was named a prime suspect in the case, which remains open.
This latest development has left many unanswered questions and deepened the grief surrounding the case.
Students, residents, and civil society groups are closely monitoring the situation, calling on authorities to ensure a thorough investigation and bring clarity to the tragic chain of events.
News
Ossiomo, Chinese Impasse: This Is Our Story — Management
Published
19 hours agoon
September 13, 2025By
Editor
The management of Ossiomo Power Plant has cleared the air on the dispute between its Chinese partners and the circumstances surrounding the shutting down of the power plant early this month.
Representative of Ossiomo management, Engineer Festus Evbuomwan, during an interactive session with customers on the impasse between the two partners, said contrary to the rumour making the rounds, the management of Ossiomo Power Plant had paid over ₦2bn to its Chinese partner — Jiangsu Communication Clean Energy Technology (CCETC) — since the power plant started operation.
Recall that representative of CCETC who identified himself as Mr. ‘W’ had, during a telephone phone interview two weeks ago, claimed that “instruction to shutdown was because we lost lots of money and did not get any return on investment,” adding that “all the $20m investment was done by us including the distribution lines.”
But Evbuomwan during the interactive session, said the management was not aware of the $20m investment the Chinese partner claimed, just as he disclosed that “when they generate power, we sell and pay them.”
READ ALSO:Edo Govt Denies Shares As Ownership Tussle Rocks Ossiomo Power
He disclosed that after shutting down the power plant, the Chinese partners came up with a request of ₦185m to be paid to two Chinese not known to the management, stressing that this was declined.
According to him, the Chinese partner, having seen how lucrative the business is, “went to some quarters and raised some issues probably thinking they can manoeuvre us with the help of some big persons, so that they can use their machines to generate power and sideline us but this is not possible.”
“The Chinese partners also claimed that they borrowed $20m from their native land to invest, we are not aware of such investment, and we do not know where the money was invested up till now.
“They have been also saying they have not been receiving anything, but I want to tell you unequivocally that first, the partners run a joint account where their investment is going into. More so, The Chinese partners have received over ₦2bn so far for the power they generate with their machines. When they generate the power, we sell and pay them.”
READ ALSO: Five Years After, Edo Govt Reconnects To BEDC As Ossiomo Shut Down
Engr. Evbuomwan, while apologising to customers for the power outage caused by the dispute between the two partners, said Ossiomo had started power generation though not in full capacity, assuring that power generation would be fully restored soon.
“We have purchased turbines, and one have started working. They are working on the second one, so, by the time our five turbines start working we will be in full capacity. Even with that, those connected to the government may not be reached immediately. This is because the government bought the poles and contracted the wiring, and we cannot force the government to do our bid. Also, we are making efforts to site 33kva transformer along Airport Road and Lagos Road as soon as possible, so that our customers there will get power.”
He said the Edo State government does not have a stake in the company, just as he appealed to the “government to let us supply power to customers in through their Lines. I want to emphasise that Ossiomo is not completely shut down.”
He further urged the “government to encourage the Nigerian citizens to invest and not to work against local investors.”
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