We're not threatening oil firms, says Ondo oil community

The people ofIkorigho, an oilproducing community within Ugbo Kingdom in the Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State have described the story of alleged neglect and marginalization by the federal and the state governments as total falsehood.The community said the report that was featured in the media was not a true position of things in the area.The community also denied a statement that that it had at a time issued an ultimatum to the oil prospecting firms in the area with a threat to disrupt their activities.According to the Baale of Ayerin Community, Ikorigho, Chief Adeyemi Idowu, who spoke on behalf of the leaders of the area, contrary to the claims of some people, Ugbo Kingdom is the only oil producing area in the entire Ilaje Local Government Area.Idowu expressed the confidence of his people in their monarch, the Olugbo of Ugboland, Oba Obateru Akinruntan's ability to use his position to bring the much needed development to the entire Ilaje land.He said, 'We hereby warn anybody or group of individuals fanning embers of discord among our people to desist from using the name of Ikorigho or any other community in the oil producing area in Ugbo kingdom against the interest of our people.'There was no time that we authorised anybody to issue a statement on our behalf. Ikorigho is purely an Ugbo community in Ugboland, under the control of the Olugbo. The community never threatened the activities of the oil companies.'Although, we appreciate the fact that the level of the impact of the oil companies in the town has not justified the status of the community as a major oil producing community, we are employing peaceful means to resolve the issue.'A statement signed by Williams Ayerin, had recently alleged that the Ikorigho people were being marginalised by the government and the oil firms because of the affiliation to the Mahin Kingdom.Ayerin, who claimed that Ikorigho belonged to Mahin Kingdom, had also claimed that the youths had resolved to disrupt the activities of the oil companies if the issues were not addressed within one month.He said, 'At least 60 per cent of the coastal line of Ilaje Local Government area, which covers the area of activities of oil companies, is controlled by the Eastern part of Ilaje, while Mahin kingdom controls 40 percent.Ayerin had also claimed that about seven oil fields with over 250 oil wells were located in Ilaje Local Government and that Ikorigho community alone was producing 90 per cent of the natural resources.
Click here to read full news..