Crisis is currently brewing as oil is discovered in Evue/Igbighogho bushes in Oviri-Olomu Community, Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State.
It was gathered that five families, including Edariese Efedjamah, Irevwiruemu, George Akanuota, Onakota and Ashe, are claiming ownership of the said land.
The four out of the five families, at a press conference held in Udu Local Government Area, said only the five families should be paid compensations and allowed to enjoy the benefits accruable from the land.
They added that only the five families should be entitled to contract awards, employments, Christmas gifts, scholarships and job slots taking place in the land.
While noting that sixty percent royalties should be paid to the families and forty percent to community, the four families said some persons who claimed to be leaders of the community went to include additional four family names to the already existing five families who originally owned the land as owners of the said land.
They chided the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) over its alleged failure, neglect and refusal to carry them along in the negotiations that led to the acquisition of the land as well as assessment of the project as regards to the quantum of compensation payable to them before moving to the land for drilling purposes.
They warned that if caution was not exercised by the NPDC, their actions might lead to a serious crisis in the community.
Speaking on behalf of the Edariese Family, Elder A. P. Edariese said the five families mentioned above owned the land and not nine as forwarded to NPDC by some faceless persons.
He said the five families had been grossly denied their rights to fair compensation for their properties destroyed on the land and totally denied all payments for loss of use of the land as well as their rights to be paid anything under the freedom to operate both at the time of preparation for drilling and now that the company has moved into the land for drilling purposes by NPDC.
