A revered Niger Delta freedom fighter, General Rawlings Gbamokumor has decried the deplorable state of marginalization meted on the people of Ogulagha community, Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State by oil multinationals.
General Rawlings, popularly known as Delta Force, in statement on Friday, likened the situation to a case of seating on a keg of gunpowder.
He made the assertion while leading youths of Ogulagha community in a peaceful protest at the Forcados Terminal.
The protest caused a shutdown of operational activities of the Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC.
Speaking to Daily Report Nigeria at the protest venue, General Rawlings called on the SPDC and other oil companies in Ogulagha to attend to the demands of the youths without delay.
He said “the situation has lingered for far too long and the SPDC and other multinationals should attend to it with immediate effect.
“We’re all seating on a keg of gunpowder that may explode at anytime, and could wreck havoc beyond imagination and control,” he said.
General Rawlings said the peaceful demonstration became expedient following the nonchalant attitude of SPDC and other companies operating in the community.
He warned that the peaceful protest could snowball into something bigger if demands raised are not attended to with immediate effect.
The peaceful protest of Ogulagha youths at the gate of the Forcados Terminal enters day two, as all roads leading to the terminal were still blocked with youths chanting solidarity songs as at press time.
Part of the demands tabled before the SPDC include; full access to the Forcados Terminal environment by leadership of the community, recalling of sacked workers, better salary and welfare structure, amongst others.
