By Chioma Onuegbu, Uyo

Ikot Etti and Ikot Aba communities in Mkpat Enin local government areas of Akwa Ibom state have risen against an oil firm, Sterling Global limited over its failure to pay them compensation.

In a peaceful protest yesterday, the men and women and youths from both communities blocked the only access road leading to the company’s operational base in Eastern Obolo local government area.

The protesters alleged that Geosiesmic Survey Limited which is prospecting for oil deposits in their communities on behalf of Sterling Global Limited has destroyed their farmlands, houses and polluted their rivers.

They insisted that the Sterling Global Petrochemical LTD and Geosiesmic Survey LTD must obey a high court injunction restraining them from operating in their communities until Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is carried out and compensation paid.

They carried placards with various inscriptions some of which read, ‘Sterling Global Petrochemical LTD and Geosiesmic Survey LTD must pay us compensation over land without delay’, ‘SGL must obey court order of Suit No HME/27/2023’, ‘We will agree with Sterling Global until compensation on our ancestral land is paid’ among others.

The youth president of Ikot Etti, Mr. Joshua Monday Owo said they can no longer allow Global Petrochemical LTD to undermine the communities.

“We are a peace loving community. Because of our peaceful disposition Sterling Global limited has occupied our land at Akai without due compensation to us.

“The most annoying part is that the company is occupying our land in defiance to a court injunction. The company has refused to honour a high court injunction of December 16 restraining it from carrying operations on our land without proper EIA and  negotiation.

“The court asked them to stop work so that they can come in and negotiate with us because they have damaged our crops, economic trees and houses other means of our livelihood.

“Geosiesmic working hand in hand with Sterling Global limited deceived us and came into our land to prospect for oil without any compensation.

“I am calling on the state and federal governments and other organs and agencies of governnment to come in and help us”, he said.

The Woman leader of Ikot Aba, Mrs  Blessing Anthony Peter said, “Women are gathered here this morning because the Akai land we used to cultivate and feed our children with the company came and seized it and destroyed our crops without coming to pay us compensation.

“The court issued an injunction stopping the company from using our land until adequate compensation is paid”.

Also speaking, Mrs. Eno Obot, woman leader of  Ikot Aba said, “We are here to demand for our right. The company has destroyed our farmlands at Ikot Aba. We are experiencing excruciating hunger because our farmlands which we used to cultivate have been seized by Sterling Global limited”.

Efforts to reach the community relations manager of Geosiesmic Survey LTD, Engineer Philip Aguda were abortive as his phone was switched off.