02 April 2012, Sweetcrude, EKET – Youths, claiming to be ex-Niger Delta agitators on Monday blocked the access road to ExxonMobil’s Qua Iboe Oil Terminal in Ibeno, near Eket, Akwa Ibom.
The more than 2,000 youths turned back oil workers and a security convoy that conveyed expatriates to the oil field.
They said they were protesting the continued neglect of the oil communities in Akwa Ibom.
The youths carried placards demanding the relocation of the headquarters of Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN) from Lagos to Akwa Ibom.
They said that the oil firm must comply with the directives from Federal Government to move their headquarters to the operational areas.
The move, according to them, would provide jobs for the ex-Niger Delta agitators, who had embraced non-violence.
Mr Kingsley Umoh, spokesman and leader of the ex-Niger Delta agitators in Akwa Ibom told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibeno that the youths were protesting the neglect of MPN of its obligations to the communities.
“What we are protesting is long time neglect of the oil bearing communities in Akwa Ibom by Mobil. The government had enjoined all oil companies to create jobs to engage the youths meaningfully.
“In the case of Mobil, rather than create jobs, they have been taking away the vital departments, where our youths are engaged and leaving the youths to wallow in idleness,” Umoh said.
NAN further reports that attempts by the police, led by the Area Commander, Mr Ene Okon, to persuade the youths to stop the protest and talk with the authorities yielded no results.
The youths insisted that the road remained blocked, while talks were ongoing.
The Police Area Commander had pledged to convene a meeting with the management of Mobil and the youths leaders to resolve the face off.
Hundreds of oil workers, contractors and visitors to the Qua Iboe Terminal remained stranded for hours on the Eket Ibeno road and later turned back to their homes.
The leaders of the protesters, various security operatives and officials of the oil firm later entered into a closed door meeting in the premises of MPN.
