Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has decided to investage the May 2, 2006 face-off between Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN) and its host communities, just as the federal government has released the six suspected militant youths from Ibeno in Akwa Ibom State.
It would be recalled that on May 2, some Mkpanak youths in Ibeno had forced themselves into a Globestar barge offshore seeking employment and in the process six of their leaders were picked up by the Naval personnel at the instance of the federal government that had for long deployed Naval personnel to assist guard and maintain law and order at all oil installations in the country.
Following their arrest, youths from Mkpanak embarked on a violent demonstration at MPN facilities at Qua Iboe terminal (QIT)threatening the peace of the environment until the Naval personnel deployed to protect MPN facilities by the Federal Government moved in leading to the death of two persons.
One of the youth leaders in Ibeno, Mr. Mkpang William blamed the youths for the violent demonstration at QIT saying several persons including elders had intervened persuading the violent youths to vacate the terminal to no avail.
To help bring lasting solution to the Mobil/ communities’ feud, the State House of Assembly set up a committee to look into the crisis and the committees public sitting was rounded up last week.
Reports on the matter is expected soon. At the public sitting, some persons argued that oil servicing companies to MPN should establish their headquarters in Akwa Ibom and employ more indigenes.
But this position was faulted by some opinion leaders and top personnel of the oil servicing companies, who said it was not economically viable for the oil servicing companies like Globestar which has just three months contract with MPN to come and establish head-offices in Akwa Ibom.
They however, noted that for any oil servicing company to establish an office or head-office for that matter in Akwa Ibom, such a company must be running a long term contract with MPN that could last for two or more years.