Residents of the oil-producing Gelegele community in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State have issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government, Edo State Government, and oil companies operating in the area. They demand an end to gas flaring and the unveiling of a clear development plan for the area, warning that failure to meet these demands will lead to a total shutdown of oil activities in the region.
The ultimatum was announced during a peaceful protest led by community members who displayed placards bearing messages such as “No road to Gelegele,” “Our secondary school is dilapidated,” and “Say no to gas flaring in Gelegele.” The demonstration began at the Gelegele Town Hall, passed through the community’s ancestral grounds where prayers were offered, and concluded at the operational site of Dubri Oil Company Limited, which the community accuses of flaring gas since 1963.
Mr. Omaghomi Olu-Derimon, Chairman of the Gelegele Executive Council, spoke on behalf of the protesters, highlighting decades of environmental degradation and governmental neglect. He pointed out that more than 300 surrounding communities remain disconnected due to a lack of road infrastructure. Olu-Derimon said the long-standing gas flare has caused severe damage to the environment and the health of residents, adding that inadequate medical services have contributed to over 500 deaths in the community.
He decried the poor state of the only secondary school in the area, which lacks basic facilities and teachers, and questioned why Gelegele has seen no project intervention from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) despite being a major oil-producing community. He also expressed discontent with the community’s exclusion from political representation in the Edo State House of Assembly and Executive Council.
The protest leader warned that if the government and oil companies fail to act within the 14-day period, all oil operations from Gelegele to the nearby forest reserve would be forcibly shut down by the community.
Efforts to reach Edo State’s Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon. Paul Ohonbamu, were unsuccessful. However, a senior aide to Governor Okpebholo, speaking anonymously, acknowledged the concerns and noted that gas flaring falls under the purview of the federal government. He assured that the governor remains committed to inclusive development and will raise the matter with the appropriate authorities.
