More 1,000 youths from Ohaji-Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State, on Friday staged a protest against multinational oil companies operating in the area, complaining of negligence and inhuman treatment of the indigenes in the council area.
The youth who marched along the road chanting war songs barricaded the area thereby preventing both human and vehicular movements.
They also blocked the only Egbema express road which they said had been destroyed by oil companies operating in the area due to the constant plying of heavy trucks on the road.
The protest resulted in shutting down the operations of major oil companies in the area.
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The youths, led by Comrade Okenya Thaddeus, claimed that the oil companies in the area had been operating in the local government area for decades with nothing to show for it in terms of infrastructural development.
They maintained that the oil companies must leave or do the needful by engaging the youths.
“We have not seen such inhuman treatment before. Our roads are bad. This gas inflammation is very dangerous to our lives and we must make sure that the needful is done in our kingdom.”
Reacting, the lawmaker representing Ohaji-Egbema State Constituency, Hon. Cyriacus Okoro Heclus commended the action of the youths.
“I must commend your peaceful demonstration to register your dissatisfaction with the dangerous, pretentious and inhuman operations of oil companies in Ohaji-Egbema LGA.”
The lawmaker, who addressed the protesting youths, expressed sadness over “the heartless conduct of the oil companies especially their conspired agenda against the progress and development of Ohaji-Egbema LGA and its citizens.”
While assuring them of his support, the lawmaker, urged the youths to remain peaceful “while seeking lasting solution to the neglect, untold hardship and deprivation of Ohaji-Egbema people’s rights by the oil companies.”