The perceived neglect by the management of the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) in Nembe community of Nemebe Local Government Area of Bayelsa state has continued to cause confusion in the area as women and youths disrupted and hold hostage of Senior Traditional rulers over alleged lack of support for the oil and gas committee by its leadership which has Chief Nengi James as Chairman .
Some of the Traditional Rulers and Chiefs had a fortnight ago stayed away from the protest action staged by women and youths of the existing communities and fishing settlements in Nembe Kingdom to stop oil exploration activities at the Oil field of the Shell Production and Development Company (SPDC) over failure to meet the demand of the oil and gas committee.
It will be recalled that the SPDC had last week convened a meeting with the community leaders and the proposal of the oil and Gas committee put forward before the company before the shut down was adopted, as the issue of electricity had continued to posse a problem.
According to the communities, the action was triggered by the continued disregard of the SPDC to the agreement reached at the meeting with the company on the need to provide two CAT 200kva before the yuletide season and pending when it will be possible for the company to build a gas turbine for the community.
247ureports.com gathered that the women numbering over two hundred and armed with placards stormed the venue of the enlarged meeting of the Chiefs in Nembe and accused them of frustrating the efforts of the people and accepting gratification from the SPDC.
The Meeting of the Chiefs, which was being held under the Nembe-Ibie was stopped midway and doors to the Town Hall was locked to prevent them from escaping, just as the women demanded that such treatment of the traditional heads will continue if they fail to support the ongoing protest against the SPDC in the area.
