The Ijaw ethnic community of Kokodiagbene, a host community in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, has called out Chevron Nigeria Limited, operator of the Otunana (Utulala) oil field located in the community to tread with absolute caution on the alleged clandestine collusion with the Itsekiri ethnic group to register the above oil field as Abiteye, Makaraba, and Utonana, AMU-HCDT, under the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA, at the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, for Itsekiri benefitting communities.
The community leaders, led by Ark Selegha and Gabriel Ukuli, the chairman and general secretary, admonished Chevron to cease its divide-and-rule tactics through a protest letter they addressed to the General Manager, PGPA Lagos, the Warri Area Manager, and the Operations Manager at Escravos. The letter further informed that Chevron stated that Kokodiagbene undisputedly owns the said oil field, which is located less than five kilometres from the community.
“The people of the oil-rich Kokodiagbene Community in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, write a strongly-worded protest petition to reject the ongoing registration of the Otunana (Utulala) field by the Itsekiri ethnic group.
“This registration was facilitated by Chevron Nigeria Limited at CAC, under the PIA, as Abiteye, Makaraba, and Utonana, AMU-HCDT, for Itsekiri benefiting communities.
“It will interest CNL’s management and the general public to know that Kokodiagbene community is the rightful owner of Utulala, now being referred to as the Otunana flowstation, situated in the community less than 5km from the main town.”
“It is imperative to send this warning and caution against any purported attempt by CNL, in connivance with some top Itsekiri management staff, to register the flowstation in an attempt to support their fraudulent, fictitious claim.
“This serves as a final warning to CNL to desist from its old strategy of adopting divide-and-rule tactics by instigating ethnic conflict to enable them to employ and deploy their kinsmen from outside their area of operations.
“We, therefore, ask that Chevron immediately cease any further registration process concerning the Otunana (Utulala) field. As the saying goes, ‘A stitch in time saves nine,” the community warned.
The community, in strong terms, forewarns Chevron that the fraudulent registration of the AMU-HCDT will, in no small measure, have an unpalatable resultant effect on its smooth Operation in the area, which might lead to a permanent shutdown of the flowstation.
