Tension as Rivers People Block NLNG Corporate Head Office in Rivers State Over Death of Fisherman

Multitudes of Rivers people have blocked the entrance in the Corporate Head Office (CHO) of the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) at Amadi-Ama in Port Harcourt Local Government Area of Rivers State protesting the company’s alleged nonchalant attitude over the death of their kinsman.

The protesters, under the aegis of Concerned Ogu/Bolo residents, along with the mother of the deceased, Blessed Imabibo, alleged that the company’s boats sank canoes belonging to their fishermen and destroyed their fishing nets along the Amadi Creek.

They claim that this resulted in the death of their kinsman, 27-year-old Precious Imabibo, who was fishing on the river on Saturday, January 20, 2024.

Imabibo, who Kristina Reports learnt was the breadwinner of his family, drowned along Amadi Creek when his fishing canoe capsized after been hit by strong waves allegedly caused by a boat being chartered by the NLNG.

Checks by Kristina Reports reveal that the boats; Confidence I, II, III and IV, which maritime experts refer to as catamarans, are on charter from Miden Systems Limited. They are used to convey NLNG staff and stakeholders between Port Harcourt and Bonny Island.

Following the protest, staff of the company were forced to beat a retreat as they could not access the company’s gate due to the presence of the irate youths who had sealed the entrance and refused any entrance.

Also, travelers ferrying through the NLNG jetty to Bonny Island were stranded as they could not embark on their journey due to the protest which has continued for two days running.

Leader of the protesters, Samuel Diamond, told newsmen at the scene on Tuesday, August 27, 2024 that since the incident, the company has not done anything to the respite of those who suffered losses.

Diamond alleged that the company has turned down all avenues for dialogue, adding that a series of letters to get the attention of the company had not been responded to.

He vowed that they would not open the company’s gate until their demands were met, noting that the company has refused to enter into a proper agreement with the community on how their vessels would be plying the sea routes without causing havoc.

“We have written them (NLNG) series of letters, we even wrote a letter to the community Development Committee of Amadi-ama after our first protest on January 29, but they have not done anything.”

“We now wrote a letter to the Rivers State Commissioner of Police and the police invited us through the State Intelligence Department, they also invited them (NLNG) but they refused to come.”

“We even wrote to the Inspector General of Police and Amnesty International to come to our aid because NLNG cannot be operating here and their activities are killing our people.”

“We are going to remain here until NLNG does the needful, even if it will take us one week. We will not only block here, we will block the route of the waterway.”

On her part, the distraught mother of the deceased, Blessing Imabibo, expressed annoyance over the attitude of the NLNG over the death of her son by keeping mum since the incident eight months ago, lamenting that she had been sick since the passing of her son.

She added that the company has remained insensitive to her plight, noting that the deceased was the only helper she had.

“This boy was the one helping me. So for somebody to take something very precious to one’s life is very bad and the way the company treated me was not good at all.”

“I have been going from one police station to another, nothing has been done. My son died on January 20 and he would have been 28 years old in March if he was alive.”

Reacting to the development, the NLNG, in a statement by its General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Andy Odeh, acknowledged the protest, saying the relevant stakeholders are being engaged towards an amicable resolution of the issue.

Odeh further said the NLNG places priority on the safety and care of its people and host communities, even as he called for calm while awaiting the outcome of the Nigerian Police probe into the matter.

The two-paragraph statement entitled, ‘Protest At NLNG Corporate Head Office’ read, “Nigeria LNG Limited is aware of a recurrence of a protest at its Corporate Head Office in Port Harcourt by a group claiming to represent the family in an incident allegedly involving an NLNG chartered passenger boat along the Amadi Creek in January 2024.

“NLNG confirms that relevant stakeholders are being engaged towards an amicable resolution. The company places a premium on the safety and care of its people and host communities, and calls for calm while awaiting the outcome of the Nigerian Police probe into the matter.”

When contacted, Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said the matter was being investigated, adding that the family of the deceased and the company were invited for a meeting.

“We are investigating the matter. Both parties were with us, the deceased family, the community, and the company, were all seated here with us to discuss because the matter is under investigation.”

There are concerns, however, that when it comes to the NLNG, the Police may not produce an investigative report with sources close to the company hinting Kristina Reports, albeit anonymously, that the insistence of the company for the affected communities to await a police investigation report may actually be a delay tactic.

One of them a case between the NLNG and one of its indigenous contractors, Macobarb International, where Chief Magistrate Blessing Vic-Jumbo on Tuesday, March 15, 2022 dismissed the case due to the failure of the police to tender an investigation report.

Vic-Jumbo explained that the condition for private prosecution is that the Police must enter an indictment through an investigation. Curiously, the Police, which had been ordered by the same court to investigate Macobarb’s claims has yet to tender its report despite several excuses and adjournments.

An indigene of Amadi-Ama, who preferred anonymity, pointed out that “same situation appears to be playing out as it seems the Police was yet to conclude its investigation eight months after the drowning incident”.

“You can see that it’s not likely that the Police will do any investigation, instead of investigating the matter and producing a report, they are calling for meeting between the company and the family. Any time you see the Police trying to play the role of pastors know that water has passed under the bridge.”