Members of Ikarama, an oil-producing community in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, have alerted the security agencies to plans by some criminals to create oil spillage in their community.
They said those planning the act had been behind some allegations that members of the community had deserted their homes because of oil spills.
They, therefore, urged the security agencies to investigate the matter with a view to bringing those nursing the idea of bursting pipelines to create spills to book.
In a statement on Sunday, members of the community dissociated themselves from insinuation that they were sacked by oil spills that occurred in the area.
They said the situation had created confusion in the community, which is part of the Okordia/Zarama Development Board Cluster of Shell Petroleum Development Company, particularly as retinue of security operatives visited the area to investigate the development.
But the Paramount Ruler of Ikarama, Chief Francis Daniel, described the speculation as false.
“I am in my house. It’s a false speculation. We are all at home and we will not take this type of reports lightly.
“I even discussed with the men of the Department of State Security Services who had visited the community over the allegation. I do not know the source of the story,” the monarch said.
Chairman of Okordia/Zarama Development Board Cluster, Obonah Timi, said there was no truth in the insinuation.
“There was a news item that there is an oil spill in Ikarama community and everybody had vacated the area. It is a big lie as there was no oil spill and the villagers are going about their normal businesses. I don’t know if those behind the story are using it to trade,” Timi said.
He said Shell had cleaned up previous oil spills that occurred in the community and carried out remediation.
“This is malicious and an embarrassment to Okordia/Zarama Development Board Cluster and the good people of Ikarama community including the chiefs, women and youths,” he stressed.
Also, the Secretary of the cluster, Akintola Oforofo, said such reports were aimed at undoing all the good work they had done over the past few years at the cluster, which earned them an award.
Oforofo said, “They are trying to discredit our good work. We urge the public to discard the rumour as nothing like that has happened.”
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