Ogboinbiri Community in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of
Bayelsa State was recently hit by another crude oil pollution from one of
the multi- national oil exploitation company in the Niger Delta
Region, Nigerian AGIP Oil Company Limited ( NAOC) whose production facility leaked deadly production fluid into the only source of drinking water in the area.
In a statement in Yenagoa, a one-time Chairman of Community
Development Committee (CDC) in Ogboinbiri Town, Chief Newton Daniel –
he stated that he had never time granted an interview with
SaharaReporters as a result of the gas leakage that occurred recently
in the community.
Chief Newton Daniel stated that the report from SaharaReporters came to
him as surprise when a friend draw his attention to the
online news saying that he granted an interview to the said internet
reports.
” I have never in any way and time talk to the said reporter in
Yenagoa and quoting me that, the leadership of the community visited
the rig shortly after the incident occurred and met with some workers
at the site that confirmed that there had been a gas leakage from the
rig.
This is a calculated attempt to dent my reputation as I was not called
for such interview as reported by SaharaReporters. I was once a
chairman as far back as 1993 and wondered why I should grant such an
interview when am not in the ruling cabinet to the said reporter.
Infact, several people are fighting me in that community for no just
cause. They want to discredit me before Nigerian AGIP Oil Company
Limited because of my closeness and the working relationship with the
company. I was told of the leakage in Yenagoa and have not been home
all this while, to have known the extent of the gas leakage and the
community dispatched a delegation to meet with AGIP officials at their
platform near the community and the officials yet to respond to the
incident in any form. This is barbaric and wicked to have quoted me as
a source for his report“, Chief Newton lamented.
The former community leader said they did this to blackmail him so as
to loose trust with the Agip Oil Community Limited in the area.
According to him, he has jobs from the company as many seem to have
been envious of his rising profile in the community.
He further alleged that the reporter may have called for confirmation
but the person whom he called was his detractors, to have given his
name on the report. The former community leader appealled to the people
in the area to be calm as the community will take steps to resolve the
gas leakage.
He further advised the Nigerian Agip Oil Community Limited and the
entire public to discountenance of the said online report.
