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Isoko women seal oil firm, say we no longer need Heritage Energy in our land
Women from Emede, Oleh and Olomoro, in Isoko South Local Government Area, numbering over 200, have sealed the Olomoro/Oleh flow station of Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited.
The women, who carried placards with different inscriptions, barricaded the entrance gate of the company and vowed to remain there until their demands were met.
Speaking on their grievances, Mrs. Helen Obrogo alleged gruesome marginalization of the Olomoro/Oleh cluster 5 by Heritage Energy, which she said had come to a head.
Mrs. Obrogo averred that as the proverbial goose that lays the golden egg, they could no longer tolerate the diabolical orchestration by the oil company and its cohort against the interest of cluster 5.
She said they had, therefore, declared HEOSL a persona non grata, stressing that the company was no longer needed as it had become an oppressor in their land.
According to her, they were not happy with Heritage Energy because the infield surveillance contract duly advertised by the company, bided for and won by a solely indigenous company owned by an Oleh indigene and Chief of the kingdom bided. CMD Limited, following which the company received an offer letter and was duly invited for a kick off meeting which he attended and modalities for kick off agreed.
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Mrs Obrogo said on the strength of that, CMD mobilized men and resources to the entire OML 30 Isoko area infield on January 2024 and had effectively secured the infield till date with an outstanding record of performance and stoppage of crude oil bunkering along the Uzere-Emede-Oleh line, down to Iyede and even Enwhe
Provocatively, she continued, HEOSL had refused to release payment to CMD Limited nine months running.
Also speaking, Mrs Ann Ogiale alleged that HEOSL working with the greatest conspirator and threat to peace in OML.30 and the entire Isoko nation, one Chief Iduh Amadhe and an interest driven traditional ruler wanted to impose a non indigenous contractor on them.
Mrs Ogiale pointed out that the owner of the said company was not an indigene of Oleh, as his great grand father, grand father and father all lived and were buried in Ofagbe, a community not related to OML 30 in any shape or form.
She accused HEOSL of continually engaging quack and fake contractors for fixing and maintenance of valved spots so much so that repaired valved spots frequently got bad for other rounds of repairs leading to avoidable pollution of arable farmland.
Mrs Ogiale further alleged that they had it in good authority and they affirmed that very top HEOSL personnel were insider collaborators to crude oil theft and contract fixing.
Another of the protestors, Mrs Theresa Umuneruo, said inline with the PIA law, NPDC hosted a training, induction and inauguration of the PIA Board wherein a cluster representative and indigene of Olomoro, Deacon John Oteri, was elected to lead the Board, following which he was handed a letter of incorporation as a symbol of authority.
She said sadly HEOSL had refused to acknowledge the symbolic event and authority, rather it was bent on superimposing a representative from another cluster on the Board, windering the crime of cluster 5.
In summary, the women, outraged by the excesses and inglorious manipulations by HEOSL against cluster 5, resolved to shut down oil exploration activities in their land and demanded immediate payment of the infield contractors, CMD Limited for his efficient infield surveillance service.
They also asked for the recognition of Deacon John Oteri as Chairman of the PIA Board, the evacuation of HEOSL from the OML 30 asset, while urging NPDC to look inward and, like most divested asset, engage from the pool of eminently qualified local professionals to manage the OML 30 asset.
The women said NO to a British company management of their resources and No to exploration of crude oil in all facilities in cluster 5 until their demands were affectively met.
Efforts To get the reaction of Heritage Energy personnel on ground proved abortive as they claimed they did not have the authority to speak.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The chairman of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC), Hashim Abioye, has claimed that the police have sealed off the headquarters in Osogbo.
In a video post on the OSSIEC X handle, Abioye accused the police of also arresting election officials and blocking journalists from covering the local government election.
According to him, several OSSIEC officials were detained while on their way to polling units on Saturday.
Attempts by our correspondent to reach Abioye for further details proved abortive as his telephone line was switched off.
The OSSIEC chair, in the post, assured voters that materials had been deployed to affected areas.
So far so good, the reports have been positive and the conduct has been very smooth and peaceful as against the false alarm raised by the police. Everywhere is calm,” Abioye said.
“The only thing is that in some of the areas in which materials are supposed to have arrived for voters to cast their votes, we had reports of police arresting our officials.
“I don’t know on whose order because there is no court order that warranted the arrest of officers of our officials.
“As it is, we have deployed materials to those units because we have enough on the ground.
For our people in the media community, I want to apologise for the inadequacy of the tags and the jackets because we have enough but the police sealed our office and that was not warranted at all.”
Abioye’s comments come after police had called for the local government election to be called off by the state government, citing a security threat.
In a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, on Friday, the Police said it received credible intelligence indicating a likelihood of violence and significant security threats should the planned elections proceed.
The police explained that reports gathered from joint intelligence gathering revealed that various groups, including political elements and other interested parties, are mobilising to instigate unrest, disrupt public peace and undermine the democratic order.
However, the Osun State government acknowledged the police’s advice but insisted on going on with the election.
Channels Television reports that the election eventually went on as scheduled on Saturday.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has said he has never insulted President Bola Tinubu in his entire lifr
He praised him for his support of the rule of law during the ongoing local government elections in the state.
Speaking to newsmen in his hometown of Ede on Saturday, Adeleke emphasized the importance of maintaining legal integrity in the electoral process.
The governor also took the opportunity to clarify that he had never made any negative comments about the president. “I did not at any point make any negative remarks about Mr. President. Any news reports suggesting that I criticized him are completely false,” Adeleke stated. “I have always been supportive and cooperative with the federal government.”
Adeleke further assured the public that his past broadcasts, including two addressed to the people, did not contain any attacks on President Tinubu. He urged the public and relevant stakeholders to disregard any fake news regarding his position on the president, especially in the context of the ongoing election.
Reflecting on the local government election, the governor described the process as smooth and well-organized, offering praise to the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) for its efficient conduct.
Also commending the electorate, Mr. Teslim Igbalaye, the Secretary to the State Government, praised the large turnout of voters in the election. Speaking in Osogbo, Igbalaye highlighted the peaceful nature of the voting process and expressed confidence that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would emerge victorious.
“I want to commend the electorate for coming out in large numbers to cast their votes. The election has been peaceful, and I believe the PDP will win,” Igbalaye remarked.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Senator who represented Bauchi South Senatorial District, Lawal Yahaya Gumau, in the 9th Assmbu has passed away at the age of 57.
He died in Abuja after a brief illness, according to close sources.
The news was confirmed on Saturday morning by Comrade Haruna Usman Muhammad, a former aide to the late lawmaker.
Senator Gumau assumed office in 2018 after winning a by-election to represent Bauchi South. That election followed the unfortunate death of the then-serving senator, Ali Wakili..
He was later re-elected as senator during the 2019 general elections and served until 2023.
The deceased’s bid to return to the upper legislative chamber was not successful in the 2023 general elections.
Prior to his tenure in the Senate, he had served two consecutive terms in the House of Representatives, representing where he represented Toro Federal Constituency from 2011 to 2018
The late Senator was known for his contributions on legislative advocacy, infrastructure projects for his constituents as well as youth empowerment.
It was learnt that the deceased lawmaker will be buried on Saturday in Abuja.
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