Soku Oil Wells: Community, Ijaw Youths Hail S’ Court’s Verdict 

The people of Soku community in Akuku-Toru Local Government of Rivers State have expressed joy over the recent Supreme Court’s judgement that gave the ownership of Soku oil wells to Rivers State.
They also commended the state governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, for securing a victory for the state.
It will be recalled that the ownership of Soku oil wells had been in dispute between Bayelsa and Rivers State governments, with all the statutory monthly allocations deducing from the oil wells previously paid to the former.
But the Supreme Court, penultimate Thursday, dismissed the Bayelsa State Government’s appeal, and directed the appellant to cede the disputed oil wells with all the benefits to Rivers State.
A statement jointly signed by the Chairman, Soku Council of Chiefs, Chief Pius Fenibo; Chairman, Soku Community Development Committee, Mr. Louis Wariboko, and Mr. Dumopireye Festus on behalf of the Soku youth association, said the victory was a reflection of the reality that the Soku people, lands and resources rightly belong to Rivers State.
In their “thank you” message to the Rivers State Government, the Soku community stated that they were happy that God granted them victory over human manipulation.
The community demanded the prompt reversal of the monthly and outstanding accruals of the oil wells to Rivers State and appealed to the state government to consider the community in the state’s developmental initiatives.
Meanwhile, the Ijaw youths, under the auspices of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) and the Patriotic Ijaw Youth Leaders (PIYL), have also commended Governor Wike for ensuring victory for the state in the oil well dispute.
The youths noted that the Supreme Court’s judgement was a victory for all Rivers people, irrespective of their ethnic or political affiliations.
Speaking on behalf of the youths in Port Harcourt, the Chairman of PIYL, Samuel George, who was a former IYC leader, however, appealed to the governor to channel the 13 percent revenue derivation from the Soku oil wells to the development of the host communities and other oil-producing coastal areas in the state.

Tonye Nria-Dappa