Ijaw Youths Shut Down Gelegele Flow Station for 24 Hours Over Viral Oil Ownership Claims
By EgbemaVoice,
GELEGELE, Edo State – Youths and leaders of Gelegele (Gbene) Community in Olodiama Kingdom, Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State, on Monday shut down the Gelegele Flow Station for 24 hours in protest over a viral video allegedly denying the community's ownership and host status of oil facilities.
According to the community leadership, comr. Olu Derimo the Gbelegele community chairman said, the action followed a viral video attributed to Mr. Amos Osakwe and some Otedo youths, in which it was allegedly claimed that there are no oil wells or oil-producing facilities in Gelegele (Gbene) Community, but only in Ughoton.
The Chairman and leadership of Gelegele Community described the statement as false, misleading, and provocative, saying it undermines the historical and legal status of the Ijaw community as a recognised oil-producing host community in Edo State.
Speaking on behalf of the community, the leadership stated that the peaceful shutdown was intended to draw the attention of the Edo State Government, relevant federal authorities, and stakeholders in the oil and gas sector to what they described as repeated attempts to distort the history and ownership of oil-bearing communities in the state.
"We have tolerated repeated misinformation for too long. Enough is enough. We cannot continue to remain silent while false narratives are spread to deny our community its identity, heritage, and legitimate rights as a host oil-producing community," the leadership said.
The community further alleged that certain neighbouring groups have consistently laid claim to Ijaw lands and natural resources through public statements, warning that such actions could threaten the peaceful coexistence that has existed among communities in the area.
The leadership called on the Edo State Government, the Federal Government, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and other relevant agencies to verify official records on the status of Gelegele (Gbene) Community and ensure that misinformation capable of causing tension is addressed promptly.
They reaffirmed that the protest was peaceful and urged all parties to embrace dialogue, mutual respect, and adherence to established legal and historical records in resolving issues relating to community boundaries and oil-producing status.
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