The Ijaw Youth Council has threatened to oil and stop gas exploration and exploitation activities in the Niger Delta due to the alleged exclusion of interested Ijaws by Shell Petroleum Development Company Nigeria Ltd, SPDC, in onshore asset biddings.
The IYC, Western Zone, issued a statement over the weekend, signed by the zonal chairman, Comrade Nicholas Igarama, the secretary, Ebi Joshua Olowolayemo Esq, and the information Officer, Tare Magbei, warning against the SPDC’s continued demonstration of hostility towards the progress and development of their host Ijaw nation.
The statement reads: “We, the leadership and entire membership of the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, Western Zone, have repeatedly warned the management of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) of the dangers ahead if they do not review the controversial bidding processes for Ijaw sons and daughters to fully participate in the company’s onshore asset biddings.”
“It is evident that SPDC purposefully inflates the risks that have engulfed our area by showing disdain for our people, who are amply qualified to participate in the bidding for these onshore assets that have significantly contributed to the high-level environmental degradation in the Niger Delta.
As a collective, we will not support SPDC’s history of abusing power, destroying the environment, and ignoring the needs of our people.
There is no denying that the SPDC’s actions in our area have caused the Ijaw people much suffering.
We issue a warning against the SPDC’s ongoing displays of hostility towards the advancement and development of the Ijaw people they are intolerable.
“The pollution of our lands, rivers, and ecosystems has caused our people who depend on farming and fishing to lose their means of subsistence. The ongoing flaring of petrol and oil spills has also had a detrimental impact on the health and well-being of our communities.
“Ijaw sons and daughters who applied for it were promised to expect a response, but to no avail.
This is another level of injustice put out on us by SPDC. The non-inclusion of interested Ijaws in the onshore assets biddings is another one.”
“We have facts and proof against the SPDC that demonstrate that Ijaws have the manpower and capacity to fully participate in this process.
The IYC will not tolerate SPDC’s purposeful attempts to deny Ijaw sons and daughters in the oil and gas business the chance to participate in the bidding process for these assets. We strongly reject and denounce the gimmicks, and we have branded the SPDC an enemy of the Ijaw country.
What they’re saying
“In light of the foregoing, we have agreed as a Council to occupy all SPDC facilities and thereafter halt oil and gas development activities in our region since what is happening here cannot happen anywhere else in the world. SPDC cannot reap Peter to pay Paul, and we say enough with this hostility.
“In conclusion, we demand that the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the Minister of State Petroleum Resources, and President Bola Armed Tinubu take the necessary steps and bring the SPDC management to order.”
Bottom Line
The IYC’s demand for inclusion in the bidding process for onshore assets reflects broader calls for greater corporate accountability and transparency. There is a need for oil companies to engage more meaningfully with host communities and ensure that local populations benefit from resource extraction.
The threat to occupy SPDC facilities and halt operations indicates a potential for social unrest and disruption in the region. The Niger Delta has a history of activism and protests against perceived injustices, which can escalate into conflict if not addressed.
