Posted by By TONY OSAUZO Benin on
Chairman and Secretary of the Host Communities Producing Oil and Gas Association of Nigeria, Edo State Chapter, Dr. Sam Igbineweka and Prince West Ogiemwonyi as well as ten others were at the weekend arrested by members of the Military Joint Task Force (JTF), from Delta State and their whereabouts unknown following the protest embarked upon by youths in Orhiomwon Local Government Area over the composition of the Edo State Oil and Gas Producing Areas Development Commission.
…Arrests 12 protesters
Chairman and Secretary of the Host Communities Producing Oil and Gas Association of Nigeria, Edo State Chapter, Dr. Sam Igbineweka and Prince West Ogiemwonyi as well as ten others were at the weekend arrested by members of the Military Joint Task Force (JTF), from Delta State and their whereabouts unknown following the protest embarked upon by youths in Orhiomwon Local Government Area over the composition of the Edo State Oil and Gas Producing Areas Development Commission.
The protest by the youths has led to the closure of Oben Oil Flow Station which has now been taken over by the Joint Military Task Force in the Niger Delta.
The arrest of Dr. Igbineweka and the ten other leaders was contained in a release made available to Daily Sun in Benin yesterday and signed by Mr. Stanley Osayande.
'We, the entire members of the Host Communities Producing Oil and Gas of Nigeria, Edo State Chapter, demand the immediate release of our leaders, Dr. Sam Igbineweka, Prince West Uyigue Ogiemwonyi and ten others who were arrested on 9th August 2007 in Oben, in Orhionmwon Local Government Area and being detained in an undisclosed location."
'We put the blame of the popular revolt at Oben squarely at the door steps of the Prof. Oserhienmen Osunbor's government, because he has refused listen to the cry of our much abused people of the Oil and Gas Producing Areas over the composition of the Edo State Oil and Gas Producing Areas Development Commission."
'We have told the State government that its composition is flawed by godfatherism and nepotism because those there now do not represent the will of the people. We want to state without equivocation that we demand the immediate dissolution of that Commission as presently composed."
'The government cannot claim infallibility. We presume that government was set up to represent the people, it should listen and obey the people's will."