By Samuel Oyadongha Yenagoa
 
The rising tension in the riverside community of Peremabiri in the Southern Ijaw local government area of Bayelsa State over the deployment of gunboats and the alleged cases of harassment by soldiers took a new twist, Tuesday as the community sent a petition to the President and the National Security Adviser warning of the deteriorating security situation in the area.
 
The deployment of the soldiers stationed along the Diebu creek flow station to assist the two dredging companies working in the area it was learnt was influenced by the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC).

The elders of the aggrieved riverside community had weekend accused the Anglo-Dutch oil giant, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) of instigating tension with the deployment of gun boats and soldiers to protect the two dredging companies in the area with alleged cases of extortion, destruction of business activities, illegal bunkering and near rape of a female indigene of the community.

The leaders of the community including the former member of the Upper Senate of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Eris Paul also known as General Ogunboss and the Chairman of the Community Development Committee (CDC), Dickson Perebode accused the oil giant of neglecting the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the community.

In a petition written through its Counsel, Mr. Chuks Egbulonu and addressed to the President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, the National Security Adviser, the Chief of Defence Staff and the Inspector General of Police, the community said the SPDC and the JTF should be held responsible for any crisis in the area.

The community in the petition made available to newsmen in Yenagoa, said though the existing peace in the area was achieved with the efforts of the people, the leaders and the state government, the action of the oil giant and the soldiers may destroy it in a few days if not called to order.

“Since 1959, the company signed an agreement with us and pulled out when crisis entered the area. But now that we have achieved peace and a new agreement that brought them back for work, they are repaying us with attacks, beating, and intimidation and near rape. We want a complete implementation of the agreement with the community,” they alleged.

The community claimed that the molested members of the community have decided to file a court action against the SPDC and its officials for their role in the documented cases of attacks against the people of the area.
 
“The people are ready to secure justice and plead with the President and the military authority to investigate and give the people justice.
 
“The SPDC will learn from Peremabiri that the love for true justice is a reality that cannot do away with men. Those who can kill and destroy young men and women, who have lost hope in their activities, will learn that we will leave a message for the world to know that the evil done cannot go unpunished,” the community declared.