BY Emma Arubi
WARRI—THE people of oil-rich Osifo community in Sagbama Local Government Area  of Bayelsa State, have said that unless oil major, Agip Oil Company, signs an independent Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with them, they would resort to both legal and violent actions to disrupt their operations.

The people said they own over 25 oil wells in their community and that  the Joint MoU signed by the Nigerian Agip, operating in Asamabiri/Biseni Cluster 2 location on July 14, 2011 was unacceptable to them.

They also complained of gross neglect and lack of adherence to simple socio-corporate responsibility to the community over the years in spite of several representations from the community.

The community led by Mr Frank Aweh, Chief Ikadueme, Mr. Raphael Ozegbe and the Council of Elders in a statement in Warri, added that in spite of having dragged Agip before a  Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, over the neglect, the company had refused to effect any payment, claims and other entitlement due to them.

They appealed to Mr. President, the state governor and all relevant authorities to wade into the matter urgently with a view to nipping any impending crisis in the bud as they are peace loving people, but when pushed to the wall, could be also very violent.

“Should Agip fail to respond to our legitimate demands on this vexed MoU issue, we will be left with no other option than commence legal action against it and make her operations come to a standstill,” they added.