By Peter Jonah, Warri
The leadership of the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, Worldwide, ably led by its global President Dr. Doubra Collins Okotete on Saturday, September, 19, 2026 lead a peaceful protest to Odidi and Batan, host communities to OML 42 to shutdown operations of the oil companies.
The President who said this has become very necessary, stating that since February 16, 2026, there has been massive oil spillage in the creeks of the Delta, from the Odidi, Batan axis crisscrossing to the Gbaramatu, Ogulagha rivers, which has polluted the environment, killed aquatic lives, destroyed farm land and fishing activities, thereby making live unbearable for the Ijaw People living in those areas.
The cause of the spill is reported as purely equipment failure, pipes that have expired yet instead of repairing and replacing it, Heritage Oil Nigeria Limited, operators of the Flowstation has practically done nothing to curtain it.
While addressing workers of the OML 42 in Odidi, the IYC President describe them as being wicked and heartless, for not caring for the lives and wellbeing of the people but only the resources in their land.
The Chairman of Odidi Federated Community, Mr Truston Gbenekama also recount how they have suffered since the oil spill occurred and how they have cried out severally for rescue but to no avail.
The IYC President thereby ordered the immediate shutdown of the oil Flowstation, noting that in the North, gold, lithium and other minerals are mine freely but in the Niger Delta, oil belongs to the Federal Government and they don’t care of the people that produces this oil.
If there is no quick response from the Federal Government and NNPCL, we will shutdown Forcados Terminal in no distance time and crumble the economy for the Government, so they will know we are serious and is not business as usual. Okotete stated.
