The groundbreaking ceremony for the Train 7 project of the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) appears threatened as Finima Community in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State where the gas liquefaction plant of the company is located has staged a protest demanding to be recognized as its host community, vowing not to rest until their demands are met.

The event, according to knowledgeable sources, is billed for Tuesday, June 15, 2021 in Bonny Island, and high profile dignitaries, including the Vice President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who is expected to perform the groundbreaking ceremony, will be in attendance.  

The protest was however almost marred by violence and yet-to-be identified hoodlums, who reportedly came from Bonny main town, attempted to hijack or possibly disrupt the protest, save for the deft resistance put up by the security operatives deployed around the area.

The hoodlums numbering over a thousand young men were stopped at the NLNG Roundabout along the Finima Road by a combined team of security operatives comprising the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Police, and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Reacting to their frustration of not gaining access to the NLNG facility, the hoodlums launched attacks on residents and traders along the road, stoning people, destroying vehicles, vandalizing shops and inflicting machete cuts on their victims. Though no death was recorded, several persons were seriously injured in the fracas.

Kristina Reports, alongside Correspondents of other media organizations, visited the Finima Health Centre, where some of the victims were sighted being treated of machete cuts, broken skulls and other injuries.

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The Divisional Police Officer, Finima Police Station, Muhktar Mahdi told Kristina Reports that the security agencies took proactive steps to forestall a breakdown of law and order in the area during the protest, saying that the perpetrators of the atrocities would be brought to book.

He assured that the situation had been brought under control and normal activities have resumed in the area, urging residents to go about their normal activities without fear.  

A security expert confided in Kristina Reports, though anonymously, that the development may affect the groundbreaking event as the analysis of the situation does not give any assurances of safety before, during and after the event, especially, for VIPs attending the event.

The Community asserts that for the fact that the NLNG plant is on their land, the company should recognize her as its host community in line with the extant provisions of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act 2010.

The NOGICD Act was signed into law in April 22, 2010 by the then President Goodluck Jonathan to provide a governance framework and engagement template for the oil and gas industry as they interface with the communities in their areas of operation.

The Community Content Guidelines (CCG) of the Act provides inter alia that, “the expression, “Host Community” means “the community where oil and gas operations/projects take place.”

“Impacted Community: Right of Way community due to pipeline passage, road access or any other “conduit” (creek, aerodrome, etc.) that is significant to the success of the operations in the host community.”

Youths, women and elders of Finima Community in their multitudes converged at the main entrance of the NLNG Industrial Area (IA) at about 5am on Thursday, June 11, 2021, singing and dancing Ibani traditional songs and displaying placards with various inscriptions.

They demanded that the Nigeria LNG and its shareholders recognize her as its host community. The company is jointly owned by the Nigerian Government through the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), 49%, Shell, 25.6%, Total, 15%, and Eni, 10.4%.

In an interview with journalists at the venue of the protest, a stakeholder in the community, Dagogo Brown stated that they want the gas multinational to be addressed and recognized as Nigeria LNG, Finima in Bonny Island and not just Nigeria LNG, Bonny.

He insisted that the Community Content Guidelines (CCG) of the NOGICD Act should be implemented for the people of Finima, as host community, expressing their frustration with their tenant, Nigeria LNG, stressing that the company has refused to comply with the NOGICD Act of 2010, which clearly defines her as host community as well as her rights.

Brown called on the president Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government to prevail on Nigeria LNG to comply with the NOGICD Act, insisting that Finima will not rest until the community is accorded its due status and perquisites as the landlords of NLNG as enshrined by the laws of Nigeria, adding that, as host of the company, the community should be given a fair opportunity to participate in the upcoming Train 7 project and every other developmental projects of the company.

Also speaking, a former member of the Caretaker Committee of the Bonny Local Government Area, Pirinye Kabaka-Brown lamented what she described as “gross marginalization of the people of Finima” by the Nigeria LNG, decrying a situation where university graduates and even Master’s degree holders from Finima Community were working as cleaners in NLNG, while youths from the community are denied scholarships.

Also, speaking, a former Chairman of the Bonny Integrated Recruitment Centre (BIRC), Aladiokuma Hart clarified that all the issues under contention would not arise if only the Nigeria LNG had complied with the extant provisions of the NOGICD Act by recognizing Finima as its host community, urging it to take advantage of the moment and do the needful.

Reacting to the development, the Nigeria LNG said stakeholder management has been its well acclaimed turf as it was intentional about entrenching inclusivity in driving its policies and programmes, asserting that it considers all its stakeholders as trusted partners in its drive to achieve its developmental aims.

In a statement signed by its General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Eyono Fatayi-Williams, the company reiterated that its commitment to the sustainable development of Bonny Kingdom was predicated on active community participation to drive initiatives and projects that positively impact the lives of the community.

“NLNG   wishes   to   state   that as   a   good   corporate   citizen,   it   applies   the principle   of   fairness   and   inclusiveness   in   engaging   with   its   esteemed stakeholders.”

“The Company has always considered all stakeholders in the community as trusted partners, and it continues to maintain this position.”

“NLNG remains fully committed to sustainable development in the kingdom, hinged on active community participation to drive initiatives and projects that positively impact the lives of the community.”