Shell Nigeria Asks to Allow Resume Oil Exploration

Oil producing communities in the western operational area of the Shell Petroleum Development Company, yesterday, urged the leadership of the influential Ijaw group, the Federated Niger-Delta Ijaw Communities to relax the stringent conditons it set, some weeks ago, for the oil company to be allowed to resume oil exploration activities in Warri and other parts of the region.

The communities in a press statement, jointly signed by Chief Alex Oboitu, Chief A. Bubor, Dr. Clarkson Aribogha, Pastor S. O. Andafa, Chief Balogun Numah and five others, said the desire by the SPDC to dialogue with FNDIC borne out of their sincere wish to create a friendly atmosphere for the resumption of oil exploration, and therefore, there should be no stumbling block.

They appealed to the principal officers of FNDIC, particulalry the President, Dr. Bello Oboko Bello, George Timinimi, Dan Ekpebede and Kingsley Otuaro to attend the next meeting, today, (Tuesday) with the SPDC, in order for far-reaching decisions that would be binding on all stakeholders on the resumption of oil exploration activities by the company to be taken.