Bayelsa Community Residents Protest Against Oil Firm

The people of Twon, headquarters of Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State and home town of former Military Governor of old Rivers State,Navy Captain Alfred Diete-Spiff (rtd) took to the streets, at the weekend to protest alleged non-implementation of GMoU by a multinational operating in their area.
The Tide learnt that trouble started penultimate Monday when irate youths attacked the palace of the Amanyanabo (paramount ruler) of the Island Community and Chairman, Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers, King Alfred Diete-Spiff and some facilities believed to have belonged to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company(Eni), operators of the Brass oilfields over months of power outage in the community and lack of other basic amenities.
The Tide which monitored the protest in Yenagoa reports that the protesters in their numbers with placards bearing various inscriptions matched to the state Government House demanding for the immediate intervention of the governor.
The protesters who were addressed by the Chief of Staff to the governor,Chief Benson Agadaga were commended for their peaceful disposition.

Agadaga reminded them that the prosperity government headed by Senator Douye Diri was committed towards being part of and witness to all GMoU to be entered by host communities and multinationals in the state during the life time of the present administration.

He stated that even before their peaceful protest to the state’s seat of power, the governor was abreast with issues in the area,promising that the government was ontop  of the situation.

Addressing Journalists,Mr Amakiri Ayiba-emi Spiff,member of the green movement international who spoke onbehalf of the group noted that the the protest became inevitable following excalating tension in the once peaceful community resulting from the negation of terms of their GMoU with Agip.

By:  Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa