Umuojere Community Cries Out: Our Land is being trespassed, Degraded -

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By Justice Nwafor

The land owners of Odoipa farmland, Umuojere Mgbala, Agwa in Oguta LGA have cried out about the trespass, illegal entry into, irreversible waste and degradation of their land by Sterling Global Oil Resources Limited.

In a statement made available to newsmen, the land owners through their lawyer, Chukwuemeka Ibeziako, explained that they had entered into a memorandum of understanding with the oil servicing company on 8^th February 2007 in which the company was granted the concession to conduct crude oil prospecting exploration on the said land.

The land owners, however, regretted that the company, after signing the memorandum of understanding (MOU), has refused to comply with its provisions despite carrying out oil exploration on the land since the first Quarter of 2007.

According to them, the activities of the company have caused them serious hardship and pain.

The statement reads in part: “in clear and simple terms, the operations of the company have caused monumental waste and irreversible degradation on the predominant means of livelihood of our clients being largely farmers. In further aggravation of the displeasure of our clients, the company has, equally, illegally entered into and encroached upon other adjourning farmlands of our clients beyond the scope of the subject of memorandum of understanding”.

They went ahead to warn of the security risks of the company’s actions, explaining that tension is already high among their kingsmen which has the propensity for restiveness and breakdown of law and order.

“These wanton recklessness of the company has generated palpable displeasure among our clients and their kingsmen with strong propensity for recklessness”, the statement read.

Trumpeta obtained devastating pictures showing burrow pits caused by the company’s activities, and illegal encroachment into adjourning farmlands of the land owners.

They, therefore, called on Imo State government to intervene and mandate the company to stick to the agreement it signed, a move they said would forestall the breakdown of law and order in the community and avert serious risks in the oil producing areas of Imo State.