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Shell Oil Company's N20 million oil exploration compensation tears Anambra community apart
Shell Oil Company's N20 million oil exploration compensation tears Anambra community apart
www.odogwublog.com reports that about 300 protesters
from Umunzarabia, Ogwu-Aniocha community in Ogbaru council area of Anambra
State on Tuesday, besieged the premises of the Government House, Awka to
register their displeasure over the hijack of N20 million oil exploration
compensation paid them by the Shell Oil Company.
They alleged
that while N10 million was taken by some agents who facilitated the release of
the largess, the remaining N10 million was hijacked by some hoodlums allegedly
sponsored by the Senior Special Adviser to Gov. Willie Obiano of Political Matters,
Mr Arinze Awogu, a native of Atani community.
The protesters
who carried placards with various inscriptions such as: ‘Arinze Awogu have politicized our family into bitterness, hatred, and
mockery because of personal oil interest’, ‘A non-indigene of Ogwuaniocha community
is causing anarchy’ ‘Anambra State Govt. come to our rescue and reconciliation’
among others also accused the governor’s aide of sowing seeds of discord in
their town.
Leader of
the aggrieved villagers, Mr Udom Casmir Osita, who doubles as the Secretary,
Umunzarabia and the kindred head, Mr Boniface Uzoalo in their separate speeches,
also alleged that the accused distributed Pump Action rifles to their
opponents.
Osita said: “We
never knew that Arinze Awogu was sponsoring them secretly. It was when SARS, on
our invitation, arrested them that Arinze came out and bailed those people. He claimed
that the governor had sent him to come and make peace.”
“But instead
of making peace, he turned our community a place of hatred and mockery where everybody
is against each other. He sponsors the other faction and bought them pump
action rifles which they’re using to fight us.”
“He went to
the Shell Oil Company office in Owerri, Imo State, and changed the names of the
real owners of the land and replaced them with his own list. He now attends
meeting on behalf of the family even when he is not an indigene of the
community. He hails from Atani community.”
Osita
furthered that the struggle which had lasted for more than 25 years between their
town and Oguta community in Imo State before they won in court have claimed the
lives of some persons including one Mr Ajeyi Egwuenu who died in Owerri prison.
“Mr Aloysius
Okwuosa, Mr Udoma Mbanude, James Ndubuaku and his son were detained for eight
months in Owerri prison because of that land. But today they’ve been forgotten”
he lamented.
When
contacted, Mr Arinze Awogu dismissed all the allegations as spurious.
“The
petitions and the allegations have no bearing whatsoever. At the point I came
in to help them find peace was the time they laid a similar allegation against
their own people and called the SARS to effect arrests.”
Meanwhile,
leaders of the protesters were taken into the government house were Dr Nnanna
held brief on behalf of the Chief of Staff, Prof. Joe Asike. Journalists were
barred from the meeting but leader of the team, Mr Udom Casmir Osita, quoted him
as saying that the matter would be looked into.
Odogwu Emeka Odogwu
Odogwu Emeka Odogwu
Shell Oil Company's N20 million oil exploration compensation tears Anambra community apart
Reviewed by Unknown
on
Tuesday, January 24, 2017
Rating: 5
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