Bayelsa Government Vows to Prevent Protest from Disrupting Aiteo’s Oil Production
The government of Bayelsa has issued a formal warning to individuals organizing a protest on December 26 that could potentially disrupt oil production at Oil Mining Lease (OML) 29, which is operated by Aiteo Eastern Exploration.
In a statement released on Sunday by the Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Chief Ayiba Duba, the Bayelsa government has unequivocally stated that they will not tolerate any actions that may disrupt oil production activities in the area. The government has also suspended the activities of youths and chiefs’ council in Nembe Basambiri and alerted security agencies about the planned protest.
The state government has expressed concern that the planned protest could not only disrupt the activities of Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production Company, but also undermine public order and safety, possibly resulting in the destruction of oil and gas infrastructure in the state. The government has highlighted that oil production at OML 29 has been negatively impacted for two years due to oil theft and vandalism on the Nembe Creek Trunk Line (NCTL).
Furthermore, the government has stressed that the planned protest is not only a challenge to the state’s authority, but also an act of economic sabotage against Nigeria. They have cautioned those involved to immediately abandon the protest and reminded them that there would be consequences for any unruly conduct.
The Bayelsa government has placed all security agencies in the state on red alert and emphasized that they will take all necessary measures to prevent any disruption in Nembe and the entire state.
As of now, the management of Aiteo has not issued any response to the government’s warning.
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