Youths and women of Ikot Ekong community in Mkpat-Enin local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State on Tuesday blocked the Ikot-Akpaden/Eastern Obolo road to protest the alleged destruction of their farmlands and water sources by Sterling Global and Natural Oil Field Service.

The protesters who blocked the highway early in the morning sang solidarity songs and displayed placards with various inscriptions during the protest.

Some of the inscriptions read: “You have destroyed our only source of livelihood”, “Natural Oil Field Service should consult Ikot Ekong”, “We want employment”, “We want good roads; give us our rights,” “We want potable water; pay us compensation” and others.

The Chairman, Labour and Industrial Relations in Ikot Ekong community, Dr Linus Ukoenang, while addressing the protesters expressed disappointment with the company’s management for paying deaf ears to the plights of the community.

He disclosed that representatives of the community had made several efforts aimed at going into a dialogue with the oil firms for recognition as land donor but to no avail hence, they had to come out to openly ask for their rights.

“We have made several representations to Sterling Petroleum Nig Limited and Natural Oil Service operating on our land. We have written several times, we even reported to the police and other security agencies and they have invited us  for a dialogue, but they refused to honour all the invitations.

“That is why the entire Ikot Ekong community decided to stage a peaceful protest today, to openly tell them that we are here. They are supposed to recognise us as land donors. They came into our farmlands, destroyed our crops and laid their oil pipelines without our consent and permissions,” he stated.

He went further to demand compensation from the company for the wanton destruction caused the community, adding that since they had started paying other villages, it would be natural that they should pay them as well.

He said, “We are looking for recognition and compensation, because by now, they have paid our neighbouring communities who are equally land donors, but neglected us. Ikot Ekong community is a stakeholder in the project but the oil firms are trying to ignore us.”

“We are also looking for employment, road construction, a better future for our children, our women and other entitlements. Ikot Ekong should be enlisted as part of the land donors and must be recognised and compensated accordingly.”

The Village Head of Ikot Ekong, Eteidung Raymond Udua, in his remarks, said the oil firms were supposed to recognise and familiarise with the host community first and not the other way round, explaining that his village council sought for a dialogue with them but to no avail.

He hinted that other land donors to the oil firms had been adequately compensated and recognised except his community, adding that if Sterling Global and Natural Oil Services refused to meet the community’s demands, they would not be allowed to carry out their operations in the again.”