The North Apoi oil platform operated by Chevron has been barricaded by hundreds of youths from Koluama communities in Bayelsa state over the non-payment of compensations for a rig blow out which occurred in January 2012, an explosion which caused a fire that burned for 50 days before it was finally put out.
According to Premium Times, the youths vowed to occupy the facility from Sunday, September 14, 2014 until Chevron owned up and paid their communities its deserved compensations.
The secretary of Kaluoma Youths Association in Southern Ijaw local government area of Bayelsa state, Temo Ebra said: “After several unsuccessful peaceful attempts to resolve pending issues of the January 2012 gas fire incidents, Chevron has refused to take responsibility and rather the company is saying that the incident did not impact the people.
“The statement from Chevron last week on AIT was very provocative so the youths summoned the courage to take over one of their platforms, precisely the North Apoi.
“The youths will occupy the platform until Chevron does something meaningful, the protest must continue, this was a site that the minister of petroleum visited and the company has not done anything for over two years.
“The company has not shown any sensitivity to the plight of the affected communities and shunned all efforts to dialogue some community people working in the rig appealed to the youths but they insisted on staying at the rig.”
The protest was said to have taken security personnel guarding the facility by surprise and as the youths were unarmed, they let them have their way.
Chevron’s manager in charge of communication policy, Adesola Adebawo confirmed the incident, adding that the firm will respond to the development subsequently.
Security operatives also confirmed the incident but said that the youths posed no threat to the production of oil and gas at the facility.
