News

Rivers Community Tackles NPDC Over Alleged Oil Well Diversion

Published

1 year ago

February 20, 2025

Editor

Umuedeokwara Odagwa community in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State has raised the alarm about the alleged diversion of their oil wells to Abia Dtate.

The communities blamed the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company for erroneously moving some oil wells in Umuedeokwara to Owoza community in Abia state.

This, they said, caused the Rivers State Government huge revenue loss, over the years.

A member of the Host Community Development Trust Fund, Goodness Nwogu, stated this while addressing newsmen in the Imo River forest, a boundary between Imo and Rivers State.

He alleged that it was wrong for NPDC to deny the community of its 15 oil wells thereby affecting Petroleum Industry Act funds and development.

Nwogu said, “We have 15 oil wells including 60 which have been in operation since 1961. But in the NPDC record, it said we have only eight and out of this eight, only four are functioning. That is not correct. They allocated some of our wells to the Owoza community in Abia state thereby denying us our legitimate resources.

“By this diversion, Rivers State is losing at least N10bn daily going by about 4,000 bpd oil production.”

Nworgu called on the Rivers State Government to regain the resources it is losing to its neighbouring state.

He stated, “We have 15 functional oil wells, two manifolds, one booster plant, one flow station and one jetty. But NPDC is telling us that some of these facilities belong to Abia state thereby denying us of our revenues.

“We must fight to reclaim what belongs to us. Rivers State Government must rise to this threat. We give NPDC two weeks to reverse all the diverted oil wells otherwise we will shut down the flow station and the two manifolds.”

The community leader also lamented the lack of basic amenities in the area, blaming the oil company which took over the management of the oil facilities in the community from Shell Petroleum Development Company about two years ago.

He rejected a situation where everything concerning the community is rooted in Abia state.

He warned that this could spark a communal clash between Umuedeokwara and Owoza communities in Rivers and Abia states respectively.

The community also demanded N50bn from another oil company, whose alleged oil spill since last December, it said, has destroyed the mangrove and the aquaculture of the area leaving farmers and fishing folks jobless.

A member of the Community Development Board said the spill was due to equipment failure from the company and has left “a large part of the vegetation destroyed.”

He added, “Yes, JIV visited the site of the spill but HEIRS secretly went there and dug over 16 pits to divert the spilled crude.

“The damage is huge and we are demanding N50bn in compensation, remediation of the land and restoration of our flora and fauna. These companies are not taking our interests seriously. We have no hospitals, no employment for the youths, and no electricity. Why are we an oil-producing area?”

News

Edo NLC Crisis: Caretaker Committee Drags Rival Exco, Govt To Court

Published

57 minutes ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The division in the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), took a new dimension on Wednesday as Prof. Monday Monday Lewis Igbafen-led caretaker committee approached the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Benin Judicial Division, seeking to affirm its authority and restrain a rival executive from parading itself as the council’s leadership.

Joined in the suit are the Edo State Government, the Commissioner for Labour and Productivity, and the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.

In a suit marked: NICN/BEN/12/2026, and filed before the court in Benin, the claimant, Igbafen, acting for himself and on behalf of the NLC Caretaker Committee in Edo State, is challenging the continued occupation of the union’s secretariat and control of its assets by members of the Bernard Egwakhide-led factional State Executive Council.

The claimants are asking the court to declare that the caretaker committee (Igbafen-led faction), constituted on August 11, 2025, by the NLC national leadership, remains the only lawful authority to administer the affairs of the Edo State Council pending fresh elections.

They further seek a declaration that the continued occupation of the NLC secretariat located at No. 1 Teboga Road, Benin City, as well as the retention of union assets, financial records, and official instruments by the defendants, is illegal and void.

The suit also prays for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from parading themselves as officials of the NLC Edo Council or interfering with the functions of the caretaker committee.

In addition, the claimants are seeking a mandatory order compelling the defendants to immediately hand over the secretariat, vehicles, financial documents, cheque books, and all other properties belonging to the union.

The caretaker committee further urged the court to restrain the state government and its officials from interfering in the internal affairs of the union, alleging undue support for the dissolved executive.

The claimants further demand N50 million as general and exemplary damages against the defendants for alleged unlawful usurpation of office and acts prejudicial to the administration of the council.

According to court documents made available to our correspondent, the crisis followed the dissolution of the Edo State Council by the NLC National Executive Council on February 27, 2025, over allegations of misconduct, anti-union activities, and constitutional violations.

However, the matter has yet to be assigned a hearing date.

News

Transfer: Premier League Clubs Scramble For Dele-Bashiru

Published

7 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Lazio midfielder, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is a subject of interest from three Premier League clubs, according to Sky Sports.

Lazio reportedly rejected offers from Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth for the Nigeria international in January.

La Biancolesti are bracing for more interest in Dele-Bashiru ahead of the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports.

The 24-year-old has two years left on his contract with the Serie A club.

The attacking midfielder joined the Rome-based club from Turkish Super Lig outfit Hatayspor in 2024.

He has been a regular feature for Lazio this season.

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Nigerian Students To Picket MTN, MultiChoice, Other Businesses

Published

7 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS South-West Zone D, has announced plans to picket South African companies in Nigeria following the ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

DAILY POST reports that some Nigerians were recently killed in South Africa over the violent attacks.

A statement issued to newsmen by Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, Coordinator, NANS South-West, Zone D, said that the association is mobilizing to take decisive and lawful action by organizing peaceful picketing and mass advocacy against South African business interests operating in Nigeria.

“We categorically state that the continued targeting of Nigerians under any guise is unacceptable and must come to an immediate end.

“This will include major corporations such as MTN Group and MultiChoice Group. It is morally indefensible for businesses to thrive in an environment where the lives of Nigerians are protected, while Nigerians are subjected to fear and violence elsewhere.

“This contradiction will no longer be tolerated,” the statement said.