13th September, 2022
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
Travellers were trapped for several hours on Mbiama-Ahoada axis of East-West on Tuesday as youths from Ekpeye Kingdom in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State who are protesting against Agip Oil company blocked road with a coffin.
The youths, who were who led by the President of Igbuduya Youths Federation,of Okobe Community, Comrade Ifeanyi Madu, said they blocked the ever busy East-West road in a peaceful protest against one “Mr Brown”, a non indigene of Ekpeye kingdom who they accused of cornering Agip Pipeline Surveillance contract.
They also lamented lack of basic amenities and alleged neglect of their community by Nigerian Agip Oil Company.
The protesters gave seven days ultimatum to Agip to immediately remove of Mr. Brown as a contractor to avoid rebellion against the Company.
Eyewitnesses told our Correspondent that it took several hours of negotiation and appeals before travellers were allowed to pass through the ever busy Trunk A federal highway.
“The situation was hellish. We decided to go through the East-West road to avoid the lockdown of the entire South Eastern path of Nigeria with the Sit-at-home order by proscribed Indigenous People Of Biafra, IPOB, who were protesting against the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to Imo State, which coincided with appearance of Nnamdi Kanu, the IPOB Leader in Court.”
At the time of filing this report it was not possible to get the reaction of Agip Oil Company concerning the allegations and protest.