Tension is palpable in Biseni, an oil producing community in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State where the locals have reportedly taken to the streets in protest of alleged attempts by personnel of the Nigerian Army to forcibly evacuate 33-litre capacity trucks laden crude oil suspected to have been stolen.
Sources said the tankers were impounded by residents of the community after the drivers suspected to be contracted for illegal oil bunkering were stopped while leaving area through the bush.
It was learnt that when confronted by vigilant community youths, the drivers had claimed to be conveying water but on a close observation, the youths reportedly discovered the content to be crude oil.
Consequently, the locals were said to have stopped the movement of the trucks till the early hours of Friday, April 30, when soldiers allegedly stormed the community and attempted to forcibly release the trucks.
Reports further indicated that the move was resisted by youths, men and women in the community, who took to the streets in protest and created human barricades to prevent the trucks from being moved out.
Tension has reportedly enveloped the community as the soldiers allegedly threatened to forcibly evacuate the trucks, according to a community leader who craved anonymity for security reasons.
He said, “Few days ago, some tankers were seen coming out from the bush of Biseni and vigilant youths of the clan stopped them to know what the content of the tankers was. They were told it was water. So, the youths climbed up to check and discovered that the content in the tankers was crude oil. So they prevented the tankers from leaving the environment by deflating the tyres.
“This morning, armed men in military uniform suspected to be soldiers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria arrived the scene and made attempts to take the tankers with stolen crude oil away. This was resisted by the youths, men and women of Biseni. That brought about the tension.
“The soldiers should be held accountable for any injuries or loss of life and destruction of property as a result of the situation. Already, I have made contacts with the authorities in Bayelsa State. The state government should stand by and with the good people of Biseni at this trying time”.
As of the time of filing this report, efforts made at reaching the military authorizes for comments on the development were unsuccessful.
