Bonny Kingdom Protests IOCs’ Failure to Fulfill Agreements
The people of Bonny Kingdom in Rivers State have staged a protest over what they describe as the failure of international oil companies (IOCs) to honor agreements, particularly those related to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. This dissatisfaction stems from unresolved issues in a previous Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and the ongoing Train 7 project in the region.
The Kingdom’s primary demands include that the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), Mobil, and Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) address long-overdue CSR projects accumulated over the last 15 years. Specifically, the Kingdom is calling for NLNG and SPDC to release the funds agreed upon in the 2015 MoU. They also insist that NLNG immediately transfer stakeholder-contributed funds for the Train 7 CSR projects into a dedicated account managed by both NLNG and the Bonny Kingdom Development Council (BKDC).
The protest, which began early on Monday with the closure of operations in the area, was later suspended, and companies that had been shut down were allowed to resume operations around 9:00 AM.
Tensions had been escalating since Sunday night, when members of the Bonny Youth Federation (BYF) ramped up efforts to block all entry and exit routes to the island, including markets and offices. This raised concerns among key stakeholders, including the Rivers State government, the Commissioner of Police, and representatives from NLNG.
Intensive negotiations continued throughout the night, but by the morning, the youth had already begun to enforce their decision. Eventually, a resolution was reached: the protests were called off, the island was reopened, and a meeting was scheduled for two days later between the IOCs, led by NLNG, and the Bonny representatives.
