Hundreds of women, youths, and elders from Umuokoroka village in Asa community, Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State, have staged a protest against alleged exclusion from the signing of key agreements between Waltersmith Petroman Oil Limited and some town union leaders.
The protesters, visibly angry, carried placards with inscriptions such as “Give us back our land,” “Give us our rights, we are humans,” and “We need to see the FTO agreement.”
They chanted war songs and claimed they had been misled into signing documents they believed were lease agreements, which allegedly turned out to be outright land sales.
Speaking to journalists in Owerri, the oldest man in the Umuigwe kindred of Umuokoroka, Chief Celestine Azuoma Orji, accused the oil company of deceit.
He said: “The oil company, through some of its personnel allegedly colluded with some Town Union leaders to sign the Freedom To Operate (FTO) and Job Order agreements without involving the landowners or the kindred contact person.”
Orji, 80, alleged that the agreement was signed in secrecy, with no consultation or approval from the rightful landowners, while oil rigging activities had already commenced on the land.
“This action has the potential to cause unrest in the community. These oil companies deliberately act in ways that ignite violence in communities because they collude with individuals to the detriment of collective interests,” he pointed out.
Also speaking through Joel Emezuo, another community elder, Chief David Ogbuanu urged the Imo State Government, led by Governor Hope Uzodimma, to immediately intervene and suspend all ongoing operations until the kindred is fully included in the agreements.
He said: “The Job Order determines the authentic owners of the lands. The principal landowners cannot be short changed by few elements of Town Union leaders.”
“We call on our people-oriented and compassionate Governor Hope Uzodimma to wade in and fish out the elements from the Town Union leaders who have sabotaged the agreement of the community.”
“We cry to Government to save us from the arm twisting of the oil company and stop all processes until the principal landowners are carried along in the exercise.”
Attempts to contact the Community Relations Manager of Waltersmith Petroman Oil Limited were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to phone calls, text messages, or WhatsApp inquiries at the time of this report.
