Bayelsa State Government yesterday insisted that the Oluasiri oil wells/oil field which is a subject of dispute with Rivers State belongs to it but assured of its determination to ensure a peaceful resolution of the issue.

In a statement yesterday, Bayelsa State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Deacon Markson Fefegha, said: “For now, there is no pending litigation over the Oluasiri oil wells/oil field between Rivers and Bayelsa States since the Supreme Court struck out the suit by Rivers State Government challenging Bayelsa State’s ownership of Oluasiri oil wells/oilfield.

“Between 1996 and 2006, Rivers State Government wrongfully collected several billions of naira from the federation account accruing from the Oluasiri oil wells/oil fields, which was wrongfully allocated to it by the Federal Government.

“It is pertinent to note that the 11th edition of the Administrative Map of Nigeria has not been set aside by the National Boundary Commission or any court of law. Furthermore, since the creation of  Bayelsa State, it is the 11th edition of the administrative map of Nigeria that defines the boundary between the two states. Therefore the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) was perfectly right in attributing and paying the revenue accruing from the said oil wells/ oil field to Bayelsa State.”