King Kroma Eleki, Sara XIV, the traditional ruler of Kula Kingdom in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers, has described Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), operating OML-25 as demonic.
King Sara told newsmen at his palace in Kula on Saturday that there was no significant development to associate with SPDC after 40 years of operation in the area.
He said that the shutting down of OML-25 facility operated by SPDC was as a result of accumulated manipulation of the people over the years.
“My position is, I don’t want SPDC to come back to Kula because there is nothing of significance that as a Kingdom we can appreciate them for.
“If the licence of OML-25 has been renewed in favour of SPDC, I urged government to to give its operations to indigenous oil companies, preferably, Belema Oil Producing,” he said.
According to King Sara, as a recognised traditional ruler, he attended the meeting convened by the Rivers Government to resolve the issue of OML-25 to give necessary advice.
“I attended the meeting as a recognised traditional ruler in the state to render advice for the purpose of brokering peace.
“In the meeting, before I signed theMemorandum of Understanding ( MoU), I told them that it will not lead to opening of the OML-25 facility that has been shutdown because most the signatories are not the real stakeholders.
“I advised the government and SPDC to tarry a bit and visit the area and see the level of underdevelopment,” he added.
OML-25 facility was shutdown by women from its host communities in Kula Kingdom.