The youths of Orogho Community in Orhionmwon Local Government Council of Edo State have decried the activities of Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc in their locality calling for the urgent intervention of the state government and relevant authorities.

The youths Chairman Comrade Charles Eghaghe stated this while expressing apprehension that such unpalatable activities of SEPLAT Oil could provoke communal fracas between Orogho community in Edo State and its neighbouring town of Boborokun Community in Delta State.

The youths leader alleged that since the company inherited the oil wells in his community from Shell Petroleum Development Company, it has been oppression and marginalisation as SEPLAT Oil has not be maintaining the global Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) reached with Orogho community.

He stated that while Shell Development Company was in charge of the Wells Orogho and Boborokun Communities did not had issue.

Comrade Charles Eghaghe however called on Edo State government and relevant authorities to investigate the abandonment of a 16-kilometre road project designed to link Orogho community with Oil Well in the community by SEPLAT.

He added that the stoppage of the road project in Orogho axis and the commencement of another from Boborokun community in Delta State to the same Oil Well in Orogho community in Edo State fuels their suspicion that SEPLAT Oil has ulterior motive to bypass his community and take what naturally belongs to them.

He stated further that since Orogho community is not at war with SEPLAT, it should be made to complete the remaining four kilometres stretch of the road so that both Orogho and Boborokun communities and adjoining villages in and around the road would benefit from it.

Comrade Charles also expressed worries over the presence of the military in Orogho land as this could trigger 2014 incident in which some Orogho youths were allegedly dehumanized by soldiers.

Also in a letter endorsed by the Chairman and Secretary of Orogho Community Development Association Comrade Charles Eghaghe and Edomwonyi Austin, respectively, and addressed to the Edo State governor Mr Godwin Obaseki the youths accused SEPLAT Oil Plc of neglect and marginalisation.

They stated that “Seplat Petroleum Development Company is breaching local content memorandum by using and working with Deltas in the road construction in Orogho land and blocking the access road with armed soldiers.

“The company is not obeying the global Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed with our community.

“That the company is trying to cause communal crisis between Edo and Delta communities.

“That SEPLAT have hired armed soldiers to intimidate and oppress Orogho people over their right in order cede Edo oil Wells in Orogho to Delta State”.

Our reporters were in Orogho Community and some oil wells locations in the area, last Wednesday.

A drive through Umogun N’wua down to Orogho town revealed a new road project already paved with alphat as it ended after a primary school in Orogho town.

Driving further on the same road was a nightmare as the road became narrow, stony, bushy and sandwiched with potholes while fenced oil wells with the inscription OROGHO adore sides of the road through to Boborokun Community in Delta State.

Soldiers and some civilians stationed at a spot on the road denied our reporters further access claiming that the particular road leads to Oil Well.

Farmers some of whom identified themselves as Deltans but farm on Edo land said they have been living peacefully with Orogho Community for decades.

They described their relationship with SEPLAT as cordial.

Contacted on the telephone last Wednesday, a man identified as Mr Lucky Obiuwevbi, Community Relations Manager of SEPLAT said that he was not in the position to address the press.

While pleading to speak off record he stated that SEPLAT does not have the powers to deploy soldiers as the federal government is known to have done so to protect oil installations in Niger Delta region.

He however promised to communicate with his company media wing and reply to our reporters, a promise yet to be redeemed at press time yesterday.