Rivers Group Files Suit Against Oil Giant …Demands N1.5bn Compensation

An association, Umu-Okporo /Umu-Osike Oil and Gas Producing Families Landlord Contractors Association of Obagi community in oil-rich Ogba / Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area in Rivers State, has filed a suit against the French Oil multinational, Total E & P Nigeria Limited (TEPNL). The association is demanding, among other things, the sum of N1.5 billion for general damages resulting from neglect, marginalisation, deprivation and environmental health issues arising form the operations of TEPNL in the area.
In suit No PHC/3445/2016, filed December 20th 2016, the claimant is also praying for an order of specific performance against the defendant to be awarding contracts relating to the claimant’s area to outsiders or strangers against alleged agreement between defendant and Egi Oil and Gas Landlord families and communities. The claimant represented by HRH Eze Benson Abella, Mr Christian Obadiah Oreke and Mr Enoch Benson, also prayed for an order cancelling all the contracts already awarded to people who are not members of the claimants families and re-awarding same to the claimants.
The suit further prayed for an order compelling the defendant to forthwith employ from the claimant’s families, 30 graduates as contract staff in TEPNG’s Port Harcourt District Office and 30 ordinary contract staff at the firm’s Obagi Oil Field OML 58 as Landlords. It alleged that operations of the firm in Obagi community had totally destroyed the whole farmlands and fishing swamps in the community by way of crude oil spillage and gas emission, stressing that the situation has frustrated farming operations by the people with health hazards. The association noted that several efforts made to get authorities of the oil company to clean-up the impacted area and to also take responsibility for the situation had failed, as a result it decided to take legal action to save their lives and protect their legitimate interest.
When The Tide contacted the company Thursday for reaction, the Head Corporate Affairs, Mr Charles Ogan, said since the matter had already become a court issue, he could no longer comment on it, apparently to avoid contempt.

Chris Oluoh