Alleged Soldiers' Invasion Of Rivers Community Untrue, Monarch Clarifies

The Paramount Ruler of Odiemerenyi community, in Ahoada East Local Government Area, Rivers State, Chief Isaac Oshi, has described as untrue, social media reports that soldiers attached to Total E&P invaded the community, setting some houses ablaze.
In a statement, Thursday, in Port Harcourt, Oshi said that the allegation was part of a ploy by mischief makers to set the community on collision course with the oil company.
 He said that the community has had  a robust relationship with the oil company since it resumed operations in the area, adding that there was no way the firm would ask its soldiers to attack the community.
It will be recalled that an oil spill occurred from a facility belonging to Total E&P in the community recently.
  The paramount ruler said that the soldiers only resisted an ambush mounted against a Joint Inspection Team made up  of Total, NNPC, NOSDRA, the  Ministry of Environment and other relevant agencies heading to the area to ascertain the cause of the spill.
“No soldier attacked our community. The soldiers were deployed to the area to restore peace, and checkmate criminal activities. They only resisted an ambush against a Joint Inspection Team coming to assess a spill site in the area.
"Total also met with the leaders of the community before they came on the visit. So, it is not true that they did not follow due process.
"The community leaders gave them approval to come and assess the situation,” the monarch stressed.