Shell says intruders disaster threat at gas plant

Unauthorised persons at one of Nigeria's main gas plants in the southern Niger Delta oil region pose a security threat, Royal/Dutch Shell of Nigeria reported. A statement by the company said that of recent intruders had besieged the Utorogu Gas Plant in Delta State with demands and threats, claiming to represent the interests of surrounding communities. "They casually invade the plant, ignore 'No Smoking' signs and the anxious entreaties of staff, lighting and puffing away at cigarettes within the premises of the gas plant," the statement, adding that careless smoking could ignite a fire leading to a disaster. Shell said the intruders usually asked for "royalties, development assistance, contract privileges, scholarships, environmental impact assessments, employment" among other demands. But all these issues had already been addressed in memorandums of understanding signed with the concerned communities of Iwhrekan, Otughievwen and Otor Udu, it added. According to the company, the disturbances at the Utorogu plant are the latest in a series of related events. Among them the work of its contractors, Gramen Petroserve and Tecon Oil Services, at some oil wells had been disrupted. Oil operations and related activities in the Niger Delta have suffered frequent disruptions in the last decade by angry youths from impoverished communities in the region. Accusing oil companies and government of cheating them out of the oil wealth produced on their land, they often resort to hostage-taking, sabotage and other forms of disruption to draw attention to their demands. In October 1998, a damaged fuel pipeline at Jesse, near the oil town of Warri, exploded while a huge crowd was gathered to scoop petrol into buckets and jerry cans. More than 1,000 people died. A number of similar incidents in the following year also claimed about 500 lives.