Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Police in Rivers State on Tuesday dispersed protesters who barricaded the entrance to the corporate headquarters of the Nigeria LNG Limited, NLNG, in Amadi-ama, Port Harcourt.
The protesters, under the aegis of Concerned Ogu/Bolo Residents, had barricaded the entrance of the company demanding justice for the death of a 27-year-old fisherman, Precious Imabibo, who was allegedly killed by an NLNG vessel on January 20th, 2024.
The protesters had sealed the entrance to the NLNG headquarters, preventing staff and workers from accessing the premises, and also blocked the NLNG jetty, stranding travelers ferrying to Bonny Island.
Leader of the protesters, Samuel Diamond, alleged that the company had refused to dialogue with them or provide compensation for the deceased’s family.
Diamond stated, “We have written them (NLNG) a series of letters, we even wrote a letter to the Community Development Committee of Amadi-ama after our first protest on January 29th, but they have not done anything.
“We now wrote a letter to the Rivers State Commissioner of Police and the police invited us through the State Intelligence Department, they also invited them (NLNG) but they refused to come.”
On her part, the mother of the deceased, Patience Imabibo, expressed annoyance at the attitude of the NLNG and the Police over the death of her son by keeping mum since the incident eight months ago.
The distraught woman said she has been sick since the passing of her son, but said the company has remained insensitive to her plight, noting that the deceased was the only helper she had.
“I have been going from one police station to another, nothing has been done. My son died on January 20th and he would have been 28 years in March if he was alive. I’m still calling on the Government, the Commissioner of Police, and other people to help. My son cannot die like that. I need justice.”
But in a swift turn of events on Tuesday, the Police arrived at the scene of the protest and forcefully dispersed the protesters at the entrance of the gas multinational firm with teargas.
Confirming the forceful dispersion of the protesters at NLNG gate, the Rivers State Police Command said the protesters were using the distraught mother of the deceased as bait to cash out from the company.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Rivers State, Grace Iringe-Koko, told SweetCrude Reports that the protesters were demanding N300 million as compensation for the deceased and N3 million to call off the protest.
Iringe-Koko said, “We (Police) called all the parties yesterday for a meeting, after which we told them to vacate the place until we have concluded our investigation. We asked them to come back on Thursday for the conclusion of the matter, but the protesters said NLNG must give them N3 million before they will stop protesting.
“The issue has been hijacked by different groups who are using the mother as bait to collect money. I have the communique that they wrote, they want NLNG to give them N300 million for the boy and N3 million to stop the protest. They are not even concerned about the deceased boy, but they are only after money
“Yes, the Police went there today to disperse them. The police asked them to leave and they refused, so the police dispersed them. We also feel the woman’s pain that she lost her child but that doesn’t mean anyone should take the law into their hands, by going to block the entrance of NLNG and denying the company access.”
Meanwhile, the management of NLNG has called for calm in the matter concerning the death of a fisherman from an incident allegedly involving an NLNG chartered passenger boat along Amadi Creek.
NLNG General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Andy Odeh, said the company along with stakeholders was already working to resolve the matter amicably.
“Nigeria LNG Limited is aware of a recurrence of a protest at its Corporate Head Office in Port Harcourt by a group claiming to represent the family in an incident allegedly involving an NLNG chartered passenger boat along the Amadi Creek in January 2024.
“NLNG confirms that relevant stakeholders are being engaged towards an amicable resolution. The Company places a premium on the safety and care of its people and host communities, and calls for calm while awaiting the outcome of the Nigerian Police probe into the matter.”
