Trouble as Akwa Ibom Youths Protest, Threaten Shutdown of Oil Companies over Alleged Marginalisation

Youths and residents of Oron, an oil-producing area in Akwa Ibom, have protested against alleged marginalisation by the International Oil Companies, IOCs operating in the area, in collusion with Udom Emmanuel led state state.

The protesters who were drawn from the five council areas of Mbo, Okobo, Udung Uko, Urue Offong-Oruko and Oron, thronged the streets en-masse and disrupted economic and other activities in Oron and its environs.

The protesters, who were clad in black, also displayed placards, with messages such as “Is oil thicker than blood? Oron youths say no to continued marginalisation, “Akwa Ibom Government is a threat to peace’’.

Some of the speakers, including Omen Bassey; Patryk Edeke; Victor Mkpofor; Christian Nyong and Francis Otioro, lamented the alleged marginalisation of the area.

In a seven-point communiqué, Convener of the protest, under the auspices of Oron Youth Congress, Lovestic Eyo, urged the federal and state governments as well as the oil companies to implement the resolutions by the National Assembly and the National Executive Council immediately.

The group alleged that state government had over the years disregarded the “tripod arrangement as proposed by our forefathers during the creation of the state which has led to the absolute marginalisation and neglect of Oron people for obvious and unknown reasons.”