A large number of protesters from oil ravaged Ogoni, Rivers State, yesterday, besieged the Port Harcourt zonal office of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, demanding a halt to perceived approval for resumption of oil exploration in Ogoniland.
The protesters, including hundreds of members of Ken Saro-Wiwa Associates, KSA and other Ogoni indigenes, at dawn, barricaded the gates of NNPC Port Harcourt zonal office, which also hosts the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR and Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, insisting on being heard by management of the corporation.
Presenting their grievances in a petition to the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru, leader of the protest and Coordinator, Ken Saro-Wiwa Associates, Chief Gani Topba, said that the people came out to express total rejection of the move by the NNPC.
Topba condemned alleged issuance of licence to operate OML11 in Ogoni, last operated by Shell, to one Robo Michael Limited to resume exploration in Ogoniland, calling for the sack of the GMD for the attempt to ignite fresh crisis in the area.
He said: “The Ogoni people have come out in their numbers to register their anger to government for urgent resolution of this matter. In 2012, NNPC had an agreement with Shell on OML11 and Shell said they had transferred OML11 licence to NNPC.
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