The Finima community in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to establish a special task force to address outstanding resettlement issues and ensure the implementation of agreements reached between the community and the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) project.
Demands for Basic Amenities and Recognition
The community also renewed its demand for the provision of basic amenities, sustainable electricity supply through the proposed Finima Independent Gas Power Plant, and formal recognition as a host community of NLNG. The Amadabo of Finima, HRH Aseme Alabo Dagogo Lambert Brown, Kongo XVII, reiterated the demands while commemorating the June 10 anniversary of the 2021 attack on Finima residents by neighbouring communities during a protest against what they described as neglect and exclusion from benefits accruing from the NLNG project.
Background of the 2021 Protest
The Guardian recalls that violence erupted on June 10, 2021, when Finima residents staged a protest seeking recognition as an NLNG host community and greater participation in benefits associated with the gas project. Describing the date as a historic reminder of the sacrifices made by the people of Finima for Nigeria's economic development, the monarch said the community's demands for justice, proper resettlement and recognition as an NLNG host community remain unresolved.
He stressed that the anniversary serves as a reminder of the community's lost natural ecosystem, the challenges arising from involuntary resettlement and the plight of residents who remain displaced years after surrendering their ancestral land for the NLNG project. The monarch also lamented what he described as the abandonment of the Finima Resettlement Project and the failure to fulfil several commitments contained in agreements between the community and NLNG.
Hardship and Legal Action
According to him, although some infrastructure has been provided within the resettlement estate, many affected residents continue to face hardship, particularly those displaced by the project. Brown disclosed that legal action instituted by the community resulted in a favourable court judgment, including an injunction linked to unresolved lease agreements between NLNG and the landowners. While acknowledging the company's right to appeal, he insisted that meaningful engagement and negotiation remain the most responsible path to resolving the dispute.
The traditional ruler maintained that Finima, as the original land-owning community, deserves greater participation in the benefits derived from the NLNG project. He argued that the community's ownership rights predate the Land Use Act of 1978 and should entitle its people to a stake in the economic value generated from their ancestral lands.
Committee's Role in the Protest
Also speaking, a member of the Finima Capacity Development Committee (FCDC), Dr Bara Kabaka Brown, said the committee spearheaded the 2021 protest to demand benefits and protections guaranteed to host communities under Nigerian law.
