The Akwa Ibom State government said it has concluded plans to look into the ongoing stand-off between the Exxon Mobil and over 800 disengaged spy policemen in the company.
The commissioner for information and strategy, Mr. Charles Udoh disclosed this in a statement issued to Journalists in Uyo on Saturday.
Udoh said this had become expedient in order to forestall any breakdown of law and order following reports that the aggrieved personnel were picketing residential and office property of the company.
The statement read in parts, “The Akwa Ibom State Government is concerned about the alleged picketing of office and residential properties of Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN) by some aggrieved personnel who served at various times as SPY Policemen, but were adjudged employees of MPN following a Supreme Court ruling of April 20, 2018. Given that majority of the affected personnel are indigenes of the state and in order to prevent any action that may affect both our economy and internal security, the Akwa Ibom State Government is taking steps to ensure a fair and peaceful resolution of the stand-off.”
Udoh further said that as part of the peace deal, the state government was going to have a meeting with representatives of the affected workers, ExxonMobil management and PENGASSAN next week Monday, July 23, 2018 in Uyo.
Recall that over 800 spy policemen were laid off by ExxonMobil since, Friday, July 13, 2018.
The affected workers have been protesting at all the offices and residential facilities owned by the oil firm at the Oua Iboe Terminal, OIT, Ibeno local government area, which is the company’s operational base.
There were reports of protests also in Lagos and Rivers State offices, thereby, disrupting activities of ExxonMobil nationwide.
The affected workers have had a legal battle against ExxonMobil that lasted for 15 years, and on April 20, 2018, the Supreme Court passed a judgment in their favour asking ExxonMobil to pay them their entitlements.
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