Business
Bolo Claims 11 Oil Wells In Bodo West Oilfields
Bolo community in Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area of Rivers State has said that the 11 oil wells in Bodo-West oilfields belong to it, and vowed to defend its territories against unlawful exploitation by persons and corporate bodies.
The community, which stated this at a press conference in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, expressed regrets over what it described as the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd’s reluntance to recognize Bolo as regards its oilfields in Bodo-West and Bomu.
The community, which spoke through its lawyer, Barr. Mela Oforibika described “Bodo-West” and “Bomu” oilfields as technical names which went beyond tribal or ethnic colouration, and said the Ogonis were not the only owners of the oilfields.
Oforibika pointed out that the belief that those oilfields belonged to the Ogonis alone was a misconception, which the Shell Petroleum Development Company had relied on to deny them of their legal rights and benefits.
He said that by the action of the Shell Petroleum Development Company, it was pitting the Bolos against the Ogonis, one of their close neighbours.
The Abuja based lawyer remarked that the Bolos had boundary with Ogonis, and pointed out that their boundary with the Ogonis was the Bodo Creek. He cited page 53 of United Nations Environmental Programme UNEP report, which asserted that Bodo-West oilfields belonged to the Bolos.
He explained that the swamp, rivulets and island which lie west of the Bodo-Creek belong to the Bolos.
He noted that despite a plethora of letters written to the SPDC and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the community had not received any reply, reassuring them any reasonable action being taken to address their concerns.
In its seven point demand to the SPDC, the community asked for full recognition and conferment of all benefits accruable to Bolo as a host community in Bomu and Bodo-West oilfields.
The community also demanded for fair and adequate compensation for the 2.1 hectares of land acquired from Bolo community in 1975, and renewed in 2003 with reference and consultation with the community.
The community also called on the company to open negotiations with the chiefs and people of Bolo community on effective cleanup and remediation of the environment impacted by the 2008 and 2009 oil spills, among others.