The Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited is doubtful of the claim its chartered passenger boat caused the death of a fisherman, 27-year-old Precious Imabibo, who was fishing on the river on January 20, 2024 in the Amadi-Ama and Koko-Ama channel area of Rivers State.
The Eagle Online recalls that some locals on Tuesday blocked the entrance of the firm’s headquarters in Rivers State.
They were protesting the alleged death in January 2024 of the fisherman, claiming it was caused by the capsizing of a boat in which he was fishing.
Tuesday’s protest was not the first as one was held in January when fishermen blocked the waterway leading to the NLNG’s jetty, shutting the passage of its chartered passenger boat.
A protest that led to the blocking of the access gate to the Corporate Head Office of the NLNG in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, was also staged.
However, sources in the company told The Eagle Online that the story that Imabibo died as a result of the waves from its chartered boat was doubtful.
The sources said the chartered boat in question had been sailing the creeks to and fro Bonny for several years.
It is escorted by security boats, which has been the custom for a very long time.
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The boats, two of them, flank the passenger boat to provide security.
The passengers consist of company staff, contract partners and Bonny community members.
It is also the custom that the boats sail at a predetermined speed for the safety of passengers and other users of the waterway.
As part of safety, the boats slow down on approach of other boats and canoe.
This formed the basis for the doubt, especially when the remains of the fisherman reported to have died surfaced almost immediately after the chartered boat reached the jetty.
One of the sources told The Eagle Online: “We are of the firm belief that this man in question died inside his house and they are only looking for a way to hold the company hostage and responsible for his death so they can get money from us.
“We have been on this issue since January and the only thing this people are looking out for is compensation to the family when we have reported the case to the police at the Rivers State Police Command and they have told the community that the case is being investigated.
“The way they are pushing to force the company to pay them compensation since January, disrupting our operations, makes it look even more suspicious that there is more to it than meet the eye.
“And the moment we pay this time around, there would be no end to it.”
After the incident in January, the company had reported in a statement: “Nigeria LNG Limited is aware of protests stemming from a grievance concerning a capsized canoe in the Amadi-Ama and Koko-Ama communities’ water channel.
“The incident is linked to an alleged strong wave generated by a transiting passenger boat chartered by NLNG.
“Reports indicate that the incident has resulted in one fatality and the subsequent blockade of the Amadi-Ama and Koko-Ama channel used by the passenger boat.
“NLNG has urgently initiated investigations into the matter.
“Furthermore, NLNG is actively engaging with the passenger boat operator and the protesting communities, Amadi-Ama and Koko-Ama, with the aim of reaching a peaceful resolution.
“The engagement has led to the removal of the blockade.
“NLNG urges for calm during the ongoing investigation and resolution process.
“The company is committed to addressing the concerns raised and working towards a peaceful outcome for all parties involved.”
The statement was signed by Andy Odeh, General Manager of External Relations and Sustainable Development.
On Tuesday, the protesters, under the aegis of Concerned Ogu/Bolo residents, along with the mother of the deceased, alleged that the company’s vessel sinks boats belonging to fishermen and destroy their fishing nets along the NLNG sea routes.
Leader of the protesters, Samuel Diamond, said: “We have written them (NLNG) series of letters, we even wrote a letter to the community Development Committee of Amadi-ama after our first protest on January 29, but they have not done anything.
“We now wrote a letter to the Rivers State Commissioner of Police and the police invited us through the State Intelligence Department, they also invited them (NLNG) but they refused to come.
“We even wrote to the Inspector General of Police and Amnesty International to come to our aid because NLNG cannot be operating here and their activities are killing our people.
“We are going to remain here until NLNG does the needful, even if it will take us one week.
“We will not only block here, we will block the route of the waterway.”
The mother of the deceased, Blessing Imabibo, said: “This boy was the one helping me.
“So for somebody to take something very precious to one’s life is very bad and the way the company treated me was not good at all.
“I have been going from one police station to another, nothing has been done.
“My son died on January 20 and he would have been 28 years old in March if he was alive.”
On the latest protest, Odeh said: “Nigeria LNG Limited is aware of a recurrence of a protest at its Corporate Head Office in Port Harcourt by a group claiming to represent the family in an incident allegedly involving an NLNG chartered passenger boat along the Amadi Creek in January 2024.
“NLNG confirms that relevant stakeholders are being engaged towards an amicable resolution.
“The company places a premium on the safety and care of its people and host communities, and calls for calm while awaiting the outcome of the Nigerian Police probe into the matter.”
When contacted, the spokesperson of the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said: “We are investigating the matter.
“Both parties were with us, the deceased family, the community, and the company, were all seated here with us to discuss because the matter is under investigation.”
