A bloody protest by Ibeno youths in Akwa Ibom State yesterday left one dead, two others shot, two expatriates kidnapped and several wounded at the Qua Iboe terminal of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited MPN,a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation.
The youths barricaded the entrances of the terminal thereby making it impossible for employees, visitors and contractors to either enter or leave the facility .
THISDAY gathered that the youths were protesting last weekend�s arrest of one of their leaders who was by naval men stationed in the area.
The youths who were outside the terminal gates however overpowered the spy policemen guarding the QIT gates and gained entrance into the facility and in the process an expatriate employee and a spy policeman were said to have been stabbed while the youths kidnapped two other expatriate staff whom they have taken to an unknown destination.
The shootings however started at about 4pm when Naval men stationed at the area swooped on the youths firing gun shots which led to the killing of one of the youths .while three others were shot.
THISDAY gathered that several reasons led to this current invasion by the youths of the area who have been relatively calm for sometime now. One of the reasons for the restiveness of the youths was said to be the protest against an employee from the area who the youths wanted out because of their belief that he was not giving them quality representation.
This stand of the youths however pitched them against youths from the employee�s village in the area who wanted him to stay.This led to the fracas that led men of the Navy taking one of the leaders of the youths to an unknown destination.
The other reason is said to be the youths� anger that MPN accords greater respect and attention to militants from Niger Delta�s neighbouring states like Bayelsa and Rivers States who recently invaded QIT.The youths claim that MPN paid the militants a large sum of money while their own demands are ignored.
As at the time of filing this report,workers are still trapped inside the QIT,while two of the youths shot by the naval men have been rushed to the hospital where doctors are battling to save their lives. Attempts by THISDAY to get an official position is still ongoing. An official promised to call back with an official explanation.
Source: Thisday