Massive peaceful protest: BKDC reacts

Alleged injustices, marginalization, neglect, deprivations and breach of Agreements, by International Oil and Gas Companies operating in Bonny Kingdom, has elicited condemnation.

Addressing the media at a press conference in Bonny Island on January 13, representatives from the Bonny Kingdom Development Committee said ; “We must state clearly and unequivocally that this is a cry for help by the people of Bonny Kingdom and a strong note of warning that things will no longer remain as they are.”

A copy of the press statement sighted by Africa Update read:

• PRESS BRIEFING BY BKDC ON THE PLANNED MASSIVE PEACEFUL PROTEST BY BONNY KINGDOM.

Protocols

1. Good morning Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press. We have invited you here this morning to give you update on the planned Peaceful Protest by Bonny Kingdom.

2. As you are aware, the Kingdom had planned to commence days of massive peaceful protest from today 13th January 2025; to protest against the injustices, marginalization, neglect, deprivations and breach of Agreements, which the Kingdom has suffered in the hands of International Oil and Gas Companies operating in the Kingdom.

3. Before I tell you the status of the protest, it is necessary I give you a background of issues leading to the decision to embark on this massive protest.

4. Permit me therefore to state unequivocally the position of things in Bonny Kingdom with regards to the activities of multinationals and government at all levels in Nigeria. This comes against the backdrop of misunderstanding among the populace, especially, the people of Bonny Kingdom, who erroneously believe that all is well given the peaceful disposition and hospitable atmosphere of Bonny Kingdom towards her visitors.

5. Bonny Island has remained in the limelight of business and tourism as far as the 13th century engaging in international trade with the Portuguese and the English, amongst other European countries, as well as locally with the Kalabari, Wakirike, Andoni, and lgbo, amongst others. Thus, the advent of multinationals beginning from Shell BP in 1958 to the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited in 1996,amongst several others was not novel but in sustenance of age-long predilection to economic self-reliance and nationalistic survival.

6. It is, however, disheartening to state at this point that with the presence of Shell Petroleum Development. Company (SPDC), Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG), Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPNU), TotalEnergies Nigeria Limited, and BelemaOil, amongst several others in Bonny Island, the area has become worse off. While individuals, nations and organizations hail Bonny Island as a blessed geographic location, the land and people have very little to smile about.

7. This stems from the abject neglect, total exclusion, rights and privileges denial and obnoxious disregard for the people of Bonny Kingdom in the scheme of things with regards to how the companies operating in Bonny Island do their businesses.

8. Specifically, aside the marginalization of Bonny people in employment, management and administration, award of contracts, amongst others, the vehement refusal to implement corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects in the Kingdom are some of the annoying issues trending.

9. As per the CSR projects, we are referring to those agreed upon with regards to the various projects being implemented by individual multinationals on the Island. These are not handouts or patronage driven projects but a requirement of the laws guiding oil and gas activities in the country.

10. For emphasis, NLNG and SCD-JV signed Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs) to execute the following Projects in the Kingdom under the Train-7Project: Expansion of the road from Shell gate to Coal Beach with a spour from Amaomu Junction to the King Perekule Palace; Construction of a 5,000capacity mini-stadium and Sports Academy; Construction of Vehicular Terminal, Construction of a 2.5km road from Workers’ Camp to Simidia Junction, but has blatantly failed to implement any of them for years now; there is also an agreement to construct a Waste-to-Wealth facility, among others, but none of these projects has seen the light of day up till now. Aside the renovation of classrooms, no CSR project has so far been implemented by either Shell, Mobil, BelemaOil, etc. in any part of Bonny LGA. The last time, any CSR project was done in Bonny Island was 15 years ago by TSKJ.

11. Interestingly, the people of the Kingdom are well aware that investors in the Train 7 Project, provided adequate funds for the implementation of CSR projects in the Kingdom, but unfortunately, NLNG has ensnared these funds in its custody and continued to exercise sole authority over the funds without any input from the Kingdom. This has accounted for the reason why MOUs signed with the Kingdom to execute CSR Projects under the Train 7 Project are yet to be implemented; agreed projects yet undelivered

12. In fact, it is very provocative when one considers the massive revenue being generated by the various multinationals from Bonny Kingdom and the accruals to the Federal Government, especially, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).amongst others, and the Rivers State Government, and the abject lack of developmental footprints on the Island. It goes without saying that with the contribution of Bonny Kingdom to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Nigeria, the accruing development indices of the area should place it in the same realm with Dubai, Singapore and anywhere else in the Western world. Unfortunately, most unfortunately, this is not the case.

13. As at today, Bonny Island lacks clean, potable and drinkable water. It lacks basic social amenities. There are no internal roads except the few constructed by the Bonny Local Government. The Bodo/Bonny Road remains in construction since 1975 and yet to be completed. Roads in the Kingdom remain one-lane narrow roads despite the intense traffic utilization occasioned by the activities of these companies. Also, there are no road networks connecting the Western, Eastern or Central areas of Bonny LGA, which is split up by rivers and rivulets. People can only travel to their communities from the mainland by boat.

14. The shores around Bonny Island continue to be washed away by the sea waves, a situation aggravated by the strong waves caused by the heavy traffic of large seagoing vessels owned and operated by the multinationals. The air pollution is at an all-time high with attendant environmental and health hazards which residents of the Island are being subjected to. Acid rain is a normal occurrence, which continues to undermine the sustainability of buildings in the Island. Security along the waterways is in a sorry state with residents and visitors to the Kingdom always at the mercy of daredevil criminals who attack. kidnap, maim and almost always cart away boats and engines and in many cases even the passengers.

15. As at today, the Kingdom has been neglected by both the Federal and State Governments. For decades, there has not been any Federal Government Project in Bonny LGA; except the on-going Bodo/Bonny Road project. The passage of a Bill for the establishment of a Federal Medical Center in Bonny by the National Assembly is yet to receive any implementable action. Similarly, the past administrations of Rivers State Government have nothing to boast of as a Project in Bonny LGA. This is regardless of the fact that Bonny LGA alone contributes about 4% of Nigeria’s GDP, provides the largest crude oil loading platform, the only gas export platform and hosts the largest crude oil storage facility in the country. Bonny remains the most peaceful part of Nigeria on

record. Crime rate is lowest in Bonny compared to other parts of the Country, not only as a result of the efforts of the security agencies on the Island, but because of the culture, disposition and way of life of the people.

16.
Following the refusal to implement the Train 7 CSR Projects as agreed, on 15th September 2024, the Kingdom through the BKDC, petitioned the Security Agencies in Bonny on the “imminent breakdown of Law and Order in Bonny Kingdom occasioned by the antics of NLNG and her Contractors”.

17. After series of tripartite meetings with these Companies, the Security Agencies and the BKDC, the Security Agencies advised the Companies, not to take the peaceful disposition of the Kingdom for granted, rather expedite action on the implementation of all agreed projects with the Kingdom. Regrettably, this advice appears to have fallen on deaf ears; as there has not been any change of attitude by the Companies, particularly, NLNG and SCD-JV. Things have continued to deteriorate!

18. While the plans to commence the protest was at its peak, government agencies and NLNG reached out to us for a chance to discuss and resolve the issues amicably. The Kingdom considered the requests (which is documented), and had decided to suspend the planned peaceful protest.

19. We must state clearly and unequivocally that this is a cry for help by the people of Bonny Kingdom and a strong note of warning that things will no longer remain as they are. A people grounded maybe buried but cannot die twice. It is time for the Federal and State Government as well as the Companies operating in the Kingdom to rise to the occasion and act right, urgently and in the interest of Bonny people.
Thank you!
Signed this 13th Day of January 2025.
For: BONNY KINGDOM DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.