The Federal Government has launched an investigation into the complaints of land-grabbing by oil producing communities in Bayelsa against some International Oil Companies, IOCs.
The Ministry of Petroleum Resources disclosed this in a statement in Abuja, yesterday, adding that the companies involved are Nigerian Agip Oil Company and Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC.
According to the ministry, the probe is in response to a petition by Agi Bestman, the Coordinator of the Niger Delta MoU, Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) on behalf of the aggrieved communities.
The ministry also disclosed that the investigative team was led by Kamoru Busari, Director of Upstream Department at the ministry.
Officials from Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation, the Nigerian Police and the Bayelsa State Government are the other members of the team.
The team would embark on a fact-finding mission to Biseni, Enebele, Ogbia and Gbaran communities in Bayelsa State.
The communities had in their petition accused the two oil giants, Agip and Shell of land-grabbing without adequate compensation in the form of underpayment of tenancy rent.
According to the ministry, the investigative team has commenced the exercise with a meeting with top Bayelsa State government officials.
