Bayelsa residents in Twon Brass have ended their siege on Agip’s Oil Export Terminal following the suspension of protests over a power outage in the community.

The protests had grounded Agip activities as residents besieged the premises of Agip for more than a week.

On Wednesday, Eugene Spiff, a Twon Brass resident, said the community suspended the protests following the intervention of the Bayelsa government.

Mr Spiff explained that the people decided to end the protests to show good faith, even though the power supply had yet to be fully restored to the area.

“The decision of the community was based on the intervention of the state government. The grievances of the people are yet to be addressed. The things being demanded were potable water for Brass Island, employment for the youths, amongst others.

“We remained peaceful whilst the protests lasted, as a show of our civilised nature, and if Agip had met its social obligations, the protests would not have been necessary,” stated Mr Spiff.

He added, “We were pushed to the wall, and we hope that the state government prevails on Agip to do the needful.”

Residents had on May 14 blocked the oil firm’s facility, disrupted its activities to protest a two-month power outage and neglect of an MoU-backed social obligation by the management of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC).

The management of Eni, the Italian parent company of NAOC, through a statement on May 21, announced the restoration of power supply to the area following the repair of a power cable damaged by thunderstorms.

The announcement followed the violence on May 19, when the traditional ruler, Alfred Diette-Spiff, was attacked and a 24-year-old man shot.

Eni claimed that power had been restored, adding that the protests did not adversely impact oil exports from the Brass terminal.

(NAN)