Sterling Global: Obitti Indigenes, Rep Member, NACOY, Ogbako Ohaji Call For Release Of Nwangbo By Police …Demand for implementation of GMOU

By Ikenna Orioha…

To ensure absolute peace, calmness and security in Obitti autonomous community and other Ohaji environs, indigenes of Obitti (Obitti Liberation Council), National Congress of Ohaji Youth (NACOY), Ogbako Ohaji and the Member, who represents Ohaji/Egbema, Oguta and Oru West Federal Constituency in the House of Reps, Hon. Eugene Dibiagwu, had called on the Inspector General of Police to urgently release Nwangbo Eugene from detention.

This call was made during a peaceful protest held recently at Sterling Global Oil Facility in Obitti, Ohaji.

The protesters carried placards with inscriptions as “Release Eugene Nwangbo, Give Us Electricity, Employ Our Youth And Stop Intimidating Us”.

The protesters who regretted the unjust arrest and incarceration of Nwangbo Eugene in Abuja by the Police at the instance of Sterling Global Oil Ltd since March 8 2025, appealed to the Governor of Imo State, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Inspector General of Police to intervene and instantly set Nwangbo Eugene free.

They said the allegations of kidnaping and gangsterism levelled against Nwangbo Eugene by Sterling Global Oil Ltd were false, targeted at smearing his good image in order to put him behind bars, gag him, as well as continue to undermine the joy, goodness, peace and development of Obitti, who they added is very cordial, civil, loving tolerant, easy-going, law-abiding, godly, accommodating and development-driven.

In his words, Vice President of Obitti Liberation Council, Ossai Nzubechi, said Sterling Global Oil, in connivance with some disgruntled elements in Obitti, were not happy with the diplomatic and sensible activism of Obitti Liberation Council led by Nwangbo Eugene, who demanded that Sterling Global does the needful to its host community to obliterate hardship, hunger and poverty, as well as strengthen social development, economic prosperity for the improvement of peace and security at the oil rich and agrarian community.

“The President of Obitti Liberation Council, Nwangbo Eugene, was unjustly arrested and detained in police cell in Abuja since March 8, 2025. His only offence was that he civilly and diplomatically asked Sterling Global Oil Ltd Management to treat its workforce well, pay them as at when due to enable them live well, as well as develop the host community in line with the GMOU, among other things, to sustain peace, security and good living in the community”, Ossai lamented.

Ossai said Obitti Liberation Council was bitter that Obitti, being one of the highest producers of oil and gas in Africa, has no public electricity, no public secondary school, no functional and well equipped healthcare centre nor good road network.

Just as other leaders of Obitti Liberation Council, Achunike Ishia and Steven Clever, described the lackadaisical attitude of the oil firm as despicable, inimical and could incite unrest.

“It is very shameful and unfortunate that roads in Obitti and other communities in Ohaji are highly deplorable and are death traps. Obitti, including Awarra, Assa, Ilile, Mgbuishi and Ochia communities do not have public electricity, working hospitals, good road network, quality school structures and befitting market structures despite their huge oil and gas deposit through which Imo State, Nigeria and Africa as a whole feed”, they added.

The Obitti Liberation Council told Sterling Global to convert the gas it wastes to electricity to enable the entire Obitti community access electricity just as Agip did in Etekuru Egbema.

With the President of NACOY, Comr. Tochi Nwosu, urging Sterling Global Management to immediately release Nwangbo Eugene, as well as meet the economic and social needs of Obitti.

Moved by the injustice being meted out to the host communities by Sterling Global, Hon. Eugene Dibiagwu, told Sterling Global Management to steadily maintain the Local Content of Oi Politics by ensuring that job creation, community development, award of scholarships, internship programs (home and abroad) and payment of bursery to all families of its host communities are prioritized and maintained, demanding immediate release of Nwangbo Eugene from police cell.