Angry youths of Oben community in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State on Tuesday shut down Oben Gas Plant belonging to Shell Petroleum Development Company Limited.
The youths, led by one Prince West Ogienwonyi Uyigue, told our correspondent that they were protesting the failure of the Edo State Governor, Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor, to appoint the Chairman of the Edo State Oil and Gas Producing Communities Development Commission from Oben, said to be the highest oil and gas producing community.
They sang protest songs and vowed that they would not leave the plant unless the state government gave in to their demand. They said they embarked on the closure of the plant as a last resort after their consultations with the government in Benin failed.
But several detachments of mobile policemen from Edo and Delta states moved in a few hours later and displaced the youths from the plant.
The Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Peter Ogboi, said the action was a �minor protest�, which had been put under control. He told our correspondent that the police moved in as soon as they got signal of the development and restored order.
The protest came just as the governor submitted the names of the members of the commission to the House of Assembly for approval.
The Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Isaiah Osifo, who had been handling matters relating to the oil and gas producing communities, told our correspondent that the youths from Oben did not have to take their protest too far.
He said before the governor appointed members of the commission, he consulted widely among the oil producing communities, and that the traditional rulers and people of Oben even nominated their own representative of the commission.
He said the law setting up the commission gave the governor the prerogative to appoint the chairman from any of the three recognized oil and gas producing local governments of Orhionmwon, Ikpoba/Okha and Ovia North East.
He said having appointed the chairman from Orhionmwon Local Government Area, the governor appointed a full-time member of the commission from Oben community, which had been adjudged the highest oil and gas producing community in the state.