of land in Egiland, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Council of Rivers State for the construction of the power plant from the first quarter of this year. The indigenes of Ogbogu, Obagi, Akabuka, Obite, Oboburu, Obiyebe, Egita and Ede communities staged peaceful protests on Thursday to denounce the acquisition and warned the company not to step on their soil.The spokesman of the communities, Rev. Emmanuel Zachariah, said that the people were not opposed to the plant being sited on their land, but will never allow the imposition of a false memorandum of understanding (MOU) on them. Zachariah said that it was wrong for Total E&P Nigeria to bye-pass the real owners and entered into negotiation with those who have no connection with the land.He accused some politicians in the area of conniving with the oil firm to deprive the people of their means of livelihood. "The company acquired the land from peasant farmers without alternative means of livelihood. Since the acquisition process started in 2006, the affected kindred, families numbering over 35,000 have lost their subsistence farming, their means of livelihood forages," he said. A youth leader, Mr John Ejah, described the company's action as provocative and commended the land owners for their peaceful approach to the issue. He called on the Rivers State and the Federal Governments not to close their eyes to what he called a 'looming danger' in Egiland. "I advised that government and the privileged people around not to pretend that all is well with Total and Egi landlords over the land they acquired for independent power plant in the community," he said.
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