Omoku Youth Federation (OYF) has challenged Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC), of sponsoring soldiers to brutalise its members who were in a peaceful protest at the company’s plant in Omoku.
The youth body, which claimed that some of its members were seriously injured and currently receiving medical treatment, warned the oil company to be ready to vacate Omoku if any of the victims die.
Speaking with newsmen in Port Harcourt yesterday, OYF executive member, Dr Lucky Ojobah, said the attack on the protesters was the second in the last three months.
Ojobah said, “In continuing the struggle for the development of Omoku Communities, OYF wrote more letters to NAOC to still request for an audience, but NAOC still neglected our letters, as there were no efforts made by NAOC to call for discussions. OYF on the 30th of August, 2021, embarked on another peaceful protest to OB/OB Gas Plant, Omoku.
“While the Youths were patiently waiting for a call for a meeting, at the time the DSS boss in Omoku invited me to inform me on 31st August 2021, that he has interfaced for OYF to meet with Naoc management in Port Harcourt on 1st September 2021, NAOC sponsored another round of brutalization of peaceful protesters.
“This time, not only supervised by military attaché of NAOC but the Nigerian Army in the numbers, brutalized peaceful protesters and destroyed protesters valuables, while other valuables were lost.
“While we were still counting our losses away from the gas plant, the Army still rounded us up and hit us mercilessly. Many of the protesters are still lying in hospitals in critical conditions, two of which are still in a coma. I managed to write this on my hospital bed. I woke up in consciousness this morning.”
