The recent crisis in Biseni Kingdom, Bayelsa State, has brought renewed attention to the wider challenges confronting Nigeria’s oil-producing communities, with the traditional ruler of the kingdom blaming years of neglected infrastructure, failed development projects and poor oversight of oil companies for the unrest.
The monarch, His Royal Majesty, King Akile Peter T. Debekeme Nwaku, the 10th Pere of Biseni Kingdom, said the violence that erupted in the community could have been avoided if the concerns of residents had been addressed promptly by oil companies and relevant government agencies.
Speaking during an interview, the royal father said the crisis began as a peaceful protest by youths over what they described as substandard projects executed by contractors working in the area before it later degenerated into violence.
According to him, the immediate trigger was the deplorable condition of the only access road to Biseni, which is also used daily by heavy-duty trucks servicing oil and gas operations.
He explained that the Council of Chiefs had repeatedly engaged oil companies, particularly Oando, to repair the road but their appeals yielded no result.
“The major agenda was to discuss the poor condition of the only major access road to Biseni, which has become extremely dangerous. Before the drilling rig moved into the area, the chiefs had already requested that the companies repair the road. They came with promises, but none was fulfilled,” he said.
The monarch alleged that the companies ignored even an invitation by the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Mineral Resources to discuss the issue, adding that residents are also battling failed water projects despite years of oil exploration in the area.
“There is no potable water in Biseni. I personally buy water from private borehole owners because the river has been polluted by oil activities. I spend over N2,000 every four days just to buy water. Contracts for water projects were awarded, but they were poorly executed. The solar-powered water projects also failed.”
He said the protest, organised by a youth group, was initially peaceful until some protesters allegedly confronted contractors handling the projects, leading to police intervention, arrests and the remand of some youths.
According to him, the detention of the youths escalated tensions as women joined the protest and blocked roads while demonstrators prevented trucks conveying drilling equipment from entering the community.
The situation later turned violent, with houses burnt, a gas pipeline vandalised and several properties destroyed.
“The house of the Chairman of the Biseni Council of Chiefs was attacked and burnt. He narrowly escaped through the bush. At that point, the protest was no longer peaceful,” he said.
The monarch commended Governor Douye Diri and the Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police for their swift intervention, which he said helped restore calm to the community.
“I sincerely appreciate His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri, for his prompt response. The Commissioner of Police personally visited the community with his team to calm the situation, and peace gradually returned.”
He, however, called for a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances that led to the crisis, urging the state government to probe allegations of substandard contracts and poor supervision of projects executed in the kingdom.
“Whenever contracts are awarded, there should be effective supervision. If inspection officers had properly monitored these projects, the issue of substandard jobs would not have arisen. Something clearly went wrong.”
The monarch also appealed to the state government to complete the abandoned Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Biseni before the peak of the rainy season, noting that the community remains one of the worst-hit areas whenever flooding occurs.
On the lingering leadership dispute in the kingdom, King Nwaku maintained that he remains the substantive traditional ruler following High Court judgments affirming his position.
He appealed to Governor Diri to formally recognise him as the Pere of Biseni Kingdom, arguing that stable traditional leadership is critical to lasting peace and development.
“The way forward is proper leadership. At present, Biseni lacks stable leadership. Many of these problems are happening because of the leadership crisis in the kingdom,” he stated.
He also urged the Bayelsa State Government to consider constructing a direct road linking Zarama to Biseni through the abandoned Yar’Adua Road, saying the project would reduce travel time and prevent heavy-duty oil company vehicles from passing through residential communities.
The monarch further called for stronger security presence in the kingdom, including the establishment of an Area Command, citing the strategic importance of Biseni as a major oil and gas producing area.
He assured the state government of his continued support in promoting peace, security and development in the kingdom.