Mkpoikana Udoma 13 October 2016, Sweetcrude, Port Harcourt – A militant group in Rivers State known as Egi Freedom Fighters, EFF, has demanded that multinational oil company Total must create jobs for its host communities’ youths for peaceful co-existence with the communities.
The EFF in a statement by its spokesperson, Jenniffer Black, wants Total to rebuild houses for indigenes of Obiezemini in Egi of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of the state, allegedly destroyed by military men allegedly working for company.
According to the statement, “We demand the rebuilding of all houses damaged in Egi communities by security forces sent by Total Nigeria Plc and the release of all the people arrested during the raid of Egi community.
“Any skills acquisition and scholarship must come from Total Nigeria and not from the state government. Total Nigeria must create jobs for youths of host communities and maintain all existing structures in the communities.
“Beneficiaries of scholarship opportunities must be the less privileged in the community. Total Nigeria must create special opportunities for the widows whose houses were affected by the raid.
“Federal Government of Nigeria must be a signatory and must be aware of whatever understanding to be reached. The government and Total Nigeria must work out modalities and ensure the release of all persons arrested in connection with the raid of our communities before we lay down our arms. This incident occurred in almost all of Egi communities, particularly, Obiezemini”.
The group, however, did not give any deadline for government and other stakeholders to respond to their demands.
It would be recalled that the Rivers State Governor, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike recently inaugurated the State Amnesty Programme Committee, with Sir Ken Chinda, the special Adviser to the governor on amnesty, as chairman.
