By Amos Okioma, Yenagoa
The Egberiwari and Opoti families in Ikarama – Okordia in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State have concluded plans to drag the Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) to court for non-payment of compensation for the acquisition of parts of their land for the Taylor Creek location A & B.
In a statement by their Secretary, Mr Ukari Francis Theophilus, in Yenagoa, the aforementioned families said that NAOC acquired part of their land in 1984 for oil exploration, but failed to pay compensation to the affected families.
Angered by the non-payment of the compensation, the families dragged NAOC to court and while in the court another family also of the same community applied and joined the suit as second set of defendants and claimed sole ownership of the entire Abusubebe land and the economic trees therein. NAOC and Ikirikeme family lost out in 19888 in suit no YHC / 176 /2009 seeking total declaration and that the said Abusubebe land belongs to them and also lost out.
In a letter written to the General Manager of NAOC through their families lawyer, B.U Ekwugha & Company, on December 13, 2017 and made available to them (Egberiwari and Opoti families), the law firm is demanding from NAOC to pay its clients the sum of six billion, one hundred and twelve million Naira only for the acquisition, damages/ compensation and other sundry damages for Taylor Creek location A&B.
In the letter titled, “Demand for Damages/ Compensation For Taylor Creek Location A & B, Re: Suit No. SC. 243/2001 ORS Vs Chief Belli Barakuro & ORS, advised NAOC to pay the compensation and avoid unnecessary disputation that will return their company to court again with its clients, much as his clients will not be unreasonable in their insistence on their rights.
However, the families have decided to give ultimatum to NAOC to start negotiations with them otherwise they will stop NAOC activities in their land through legal processes in the days ahead.
