Bille Seeks Equity Share In Shell …Shuts Oil Facility

For excluding the people of Bille in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State in its ongoing divestment and selling of facilities, the Shell Petroleum Development Company facilities in the community have been shut down.
The action was carried out by hundreds of groups from the kingdom, including chiefs, youths and Bille women led by Chief O. B. Akinda.
Chairman of Bille Kingdom Development Committee, Asatubo Igbanibo Kemuel told newsmen last weekend that their grievance in shutting down the facility of the oil giant was due to the exclusion of the community in equity acquisition.
“Our problem is that any sale of Awoba (II) oil field or other facilities in Bille territory without her being part of the equity arrangements would not be accepted. We have both the financial and technical abilities”, he declared.
Currently, he disclosed that Awoba (Bille 2) oil field has been shut until their demand was met.
Also speaking, Chief D. T. Temebo (Onyo II) lauded the groups for the peaceful manner they conducted themselves while the action lasted.
He appealed to them to remain calm as the council opens another series of negotiations in resolving the matter with SPDC and the government.
Temebo commended the Joint Task Force (JTF) for maintaining the peace in the kingdom before and during the protest.

Justus Awaji, Abuja

NUJ President, Malam Mohammed Garba, President, Nigerian Guild of Editors, Mr Femi Adesina and Commissioner for Information, Sokoto State, Malam Danladi Bako, at the Nigerian Guild of Editors’ Fund-Raising dinner for the building of editors’ plaza in Abuja, last Thursday