Opinion
Another Indictment Of Shell
In the words of Mark Twain, an American poet and philosopher; “Of all the animals, man is the only one that is cruel”.
Twain concluded thus: “Man is the only one that inflicts pain for the pleasure of doing it”.
This quote is apt when viewed against the activities of International Oil Companies (IOCs) operating, not only in Rivers State, but in the Niger Delta Region.
Only recently, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, received two foreign envoys on courtesy calls on him in Government House, Port Harcourt.
Receiving the Ambassador of France to Nigeria, Mr Jerome Pasquier, Governor Wike expressed dissatisfaction with the empowerment of cultists by IOCs through the provision of surveillance jobs.
The governor disclosed that his administration has decided to review all surveillance jobs given to youths by multinational corporations in the state as part of efforts to unveil those youths behind them.
The concern of the government is that such award of surveillance jobs constitutes empowerment of affected cultists who become so rich to buy sophisticated guns to perpetuate violence in society.
The state chief executive did not mince words when he berated the Federal Government for politicizing security issues, noting that politicizing security by the government at the centre was partly responsible for insecurity in the state.
As if that was not enough, Governor Wike, in a minute, summarized the history of oil exploration, exploitation and nefarious activities of oil multinations when he condemned The Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC’s) poor community relations with host communities.
Governor Wike told the Netherlands Ambassador to Nigeria, Mrs Marion Kappenye Van De-coppello, on courtesy visit, the negative role of SPDC in the state which is in the habit of not carrying out its corporate social responsibilities to host communities.
He was quoted as saying; “I sat in a meeting with Shell, Agip and Total. It was only Shell that refused to implement Memorandum of Understanding”.
Wike ended thus; “Despite the activities of Shell, we shall continue to protect national assets”.
This is the challenge host communities have had with SPDC over the years.
Interestingly, the negative activities of IOCs to their host communities in Rivers State, Niger Delta and, indeed, the world is not new.
Severally, host communities globally have cried out and, in some cases, suffered betrayal by their own leaders.
It is on record that the IOCs, including Shell Companies, had in the past employed different antics to deliberately create crises, political upheaval and cause community violence to have access to crude oil to the detriment of their host communities.
It is on record that about four years ago, an international television station based in Doha, Qatar, Al-Jazeera, broadcast a four-part documentary series known as the Secret of Seven Sisters. It was a television series revealing the story of a cartel of seven foremost oil companies formed to control the world’s oil. Al-Jazeera listed the seven sisters as Exxon, Mobil, Chevron, Gulf, Texaco, BP and Shell.
Governor Wike’s recent remarks on foreign oil firms empowering cultists with surveillance jobs and Shell not implementing MoU no doubt is another indictment of a Sister among the Seven.
It would be recalled that in history, the Seven Sisters, in a bid to gain access to oilfields, had the penchant to manipulate host communities by causing war during which oil and gas would be transported out to world market, maintain price stability, while host communities languished in abject poverty and penury.
In fact, in the bid to dominate Africa, the Seven Sisters installed a king in Libya, a dictator in Gabon and fought the nationalization of oil resources in Algeria.
Reacting to Governor Wike’s observation to the activities of SPDC and other oil companies, a renowned historian, Professor Emeritus E. J. Alagoa, said Governor Wike was right and likened the behaviour of Shell to the conduct of Royal Niger Company in Nembe Kingdom.
According to Alagoa, the British, French, German and Spanish came to Africa to promote their own business, to tap whatever they could get out of the Black Continent as to develop Europe which they successfully did.
“I can say that Shell has perfected their strategy; they are more efficient than the Royal Niger Company ever did”.
Better still, the people of Kula have corroborated the view of Governor Wike. In fact, the Chairman of Kula Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers, Dr Kruma Amabepi-Eleki, said in a statement that it is a fact that Shell has a history of promoting insecurity, disunity and disharmony among its host communities.
He went further to observe that “Governor Wike has vindicated their position against Shell’s operation of OML 25 Flow Station in the Kula territory for almost four decades with nothing to show for its presence in the area”.
It is, therefore, common knowledge that from Kutei Borneo Basin in the Far East, to Kuwait-Iran in Middle East down to Umuechem in Etche LGA, Ogoni land and Kula community, Shell has not changed.
There is the need for a concerted effort by Rivers people and, indeed, the Niger Delta, to articulate the way out of this quagmire.
Today, even though some of the Seven Sisters have merged to pave the way for new cartel for greater atrocity, the blue print mid-wifed by their founding fathers such as Henry Deterding, co-founder of Royal Dutch, American Walter Teagle of Standard Oil Company and English man, Sir John Cadman, is still in force.
This is where it is necessary to also appeal to political leaders in positions of trust not to use youths for political campaigns and, in turn, dump them after winning election.
This is because politicians have been accused of empowering cult gangs during electioneering process after which they abandon them with guns to cause insecurity in society.
The time to act is now.
Sika is a public affairs analyst.
Baridorn Sika
The political atmosphere in Rivers State has been anything but calm in 2025. Yet, a rare moment of unity was witnessed on Saturday, June 28, when Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, appeared side by side at the funeral of Elder Temple Omezurike Onuoha, Wike’s late uncle. What could have passed for a routine condolence visit evolved into a significant political statement—a symbolic show of reconciliation in a state bruised by deep political strife.
The funeral, attended by dignitaries from across the nation, was more than a moment of shared grief. It became the public reflection of a private peace accord reached earlier at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. There, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu brought together Governor Fubara, Minister Wike, the suspended Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and other lawmakers to chart a new path forward.
For Rivers people, that truce is a beacon of hope. But they are not content with photo opportunities and promises. What they demand now is the immediate lifting of the state of emergency declared in March 2025, and the unconditional reinstatement of Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Dr. Ngozi Odu, and all suspended lawmakers. They insist on the restoration of their democratic mandate.
President Tinubu’s decision to suspend the entire structure of Rivers State’s elected leadership and appoint a sole administrator was a drastic response to a deepening political crisis. While it may have prevented a complete breakdown in governance, it also robbed the people of their voice. That silence must now end.
The administrator, retired naval chief Ibok-Ette Ibas, has managed a caretaker role. But Rivers State cannot thrive under unelected stewardship. Democracy must return—not partially, not symbolically, but fully. President Tinubu has to ensure that the people’s will, expressed through the ballot, is restored in word and deed.
Governor Fubara, who will complete his six-month suspension by September, was elected to serve the people of Rivers, not to be sidelined by political intrigues. His return should not be ceremonial. It should come with the full powers and authority vested in him by the constitution and the mandate of Rivers citizens.
The people’s frustration is understandable. At the heart of the political crisis was a power tussle between loyalists of Fubara and those of Wike. Institutions, particularly the State House of Assembly, became battlegrounds. Attempts were made to impeach Fubara. The situation deteriorated into a full-blown crisis, and governance was nearly brought to its knees.
But the tide must now turn. With the Senate’s approval of a record ?1.485 trillion budget for Rivers State for 2025, a new opportunity has emerged. This budget is not just a fiscal document—it is a blueprint for transformation, allocating ?1.077 trillion for capital projects alone. Yet, without the governor’s reinstatement, its execution remains in doubt.
It is Governor Fubara, and only him, who possesses the people’s mandate to execute this ambitious budget. It is time for him to return to duty with vigor, responsibility, and a renewed sense of urgency. The people expect delivery—on roads, hospitals, schools, and job creation.
Rivers civil servants, recovering from neglect and under appreciation, should also continue to be a top priority. Fubara should continue to ensure timely payment of salaries, address pension issues, and create a more effective, motivated public workforce. This is how governance becomes real in people’s lives.
The “Rivers First” mantra with which Fubara campaigned is now being tested. That slogan should become policy. It must inform every appointment, every contract, every budget decision, and every reform. It must reflect the needs and aspirations of the ordinary Rivers person—not political patrons or vested interests.
Beyond infrastructure and administration, political healing is essential. Governor Fubara and Minister Wike must go beyond temporary peace. They should actively unite their camps and followers to form one strong political family. The future of Rivers cannot be built on division.
Political appointments, both at the Federal and State levels, must reflect a spirit of fairness, tolerance, and inclusivity. The days of political vendettas and exclusive lists must end. Every ethnic group, every gender, and every generation must feel included in the new Rivers project.
Rivers is too diverse to be governed by one faction. Lasting peace can only be built on concessions, maturity, and equity. The people are watching to see if the peace deal will lead to deeper understanding or simply paper over cracks in an already fragile political arrangement.
Wike, now a national figure as Minister of the FCT, has a responsibility to rise above the local fray and support the development of Rivers State. His influence should bring federal attention and investment to the state, not political interference or division.
Likewise, Fubara should lead with restraint, humility, and a focus on service delivery. His return should not be marked by revenge or political purges but by inclusive leadership that welcomes even former adversaries into the process of rebuilding the state.
“The people are no longer interested in power struggles. They want light in their streets, drugs in their hospitals, teachers in their classrooms, and jobs for their children. The politics of ego and entitlement have to give way to governance with purpose.
The appearance of both leaders at the funeral was a glimpse of what unity could look like. That moment should now evolve into a movement-one that prioritizes Rivers State over every personal ambition. Let it be the beginning of true reconciliation and progress.
As September draws near, the Federal government should act decisively to end the state of emergency and reinstate all suspended officials. Rivers State must return to constitutional order and normal democratic processes. This is the minimum requirement of good governance.
The crisis in Rivers has dragged on for too long. The truce is a step forward, but much more is needed. Reinstating Governor Fubara, implementing the ?1.485 trillion budget, and uniting political factions are now the urgent tasks ahead. Rivers people have suffered enough. It is time to restore leadership, rebuild trust, and finally put Rivers first.
By: Amieyeofori Ibim
Amieyeofori Ibim is former Editor of The Tide Newspapers, political analyst and public affairs commentator
Do the Fulani herdsmen have an expansionists agenda, like their progenitor, Uthman Dan Fodio? Why are they everywhere even the remotest part of other areas in Nigeria harassing, maiming, raping and killing the owners of the land?”
In a swift reaction, The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) decried and strongly condemned the invasion by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
In his denunciation, MOSOP President Fegalo Nsuke described the incident as very unfortunate and deeply troubling, warning against a recurrence of the violence experienced in Benue State. “The killing of yesterday is bad and very unfortunate. We are getting preliminary information about how the herders gained access to the farmland, and it appears some hoodlums may be collecting money and granting access illegally.”
He called on the Hausa community in Rivers State to intervene swiftly to prevent further attacks.
“We want the Hausa community in Rivers State to take urgent action to ensure these issues are resolved”.
But will such appeal and requests end the violent disposition of the Fulani herdsmen? It is not saying something new that the escalating threat and breach of peace across the country by the Fulani herdsmen or those suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, leaves much to be desired in a country that is bedevilled by multi-dimensional challenges and hydra-headed problems.
Some upland Local Government Areas of Rivers State, such as Etche, Omuma, Emohua, Ikwerre, Oyigbo, Abua, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, have severally recounted their ordeals, as herdsmen invaded farmlands, destroyed crops, raped female farmers and killed protestant residents.
Again the wanton destruction of lives and properties which no doubt has overwhelmed the Nigerian Police, makes the clamour for State Police, indispensable. The National Assembly should consider the amendment of the Constitution to allow States to have their Statutory policing agencies.
As insurgency has risen to an all time high in the country were killings has now grown to be a normal daily activity in some part of the nation it may not be safe to say that Nigeria still practices democracy.
Several massacres coming from the Boko Haram and the herdsmen amongst all other insurgencies which have led to the destruction of homes and killing, burning of communities especially in the northern part of the country. All these put together are result of the ethnic battles that are fought between the tribes of Nigeria and this can be witnessed in Benue State where herders and farmers have been in constant clashes for ages. They have experienced nothing but casualties and unrest.
In the month of June 13-14, the Yelwata attack at the Guma Local Government Area by suspected gunmen or herdsmen who stormed the houses of innocent IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) claiming the lives of families, both adults and children estimated to be 200 victims. They were all burnt alive by these unknown gunmen.
This has been recorded as one of the deadliest insurgencies that had happened in recent years. Some security personnel that were trying to fight the unknown gunmen also lost their lives.
Prior to the Yelewata attack, two days before the happening, similar conflict took place in Makurdi on June 11, 2025. 25 people were killed in the State. Even in Plateau State and the Southern Kaduna an attack also took place in the month of June.
All other states that make up the Middle Belt have been experiencing the farmers/herders clash for years now and it has persisted up till recent times, claiming lives of families and children, homes and lands, escalating in 2025 with coordinated assaults.
Various authorities and other villagers who fled for safety also blamed the herdsmen in the State for the attack that happened in Yelwata community.
Ehebha God’stime is an Intern with The Tide.
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