The Chairman of Darlon Oil & Gas Limited, Chief Levi Wilson has Distances Self From the Killing In Igbomotoru Community in Southern Ijaw Local Government area of Bayelsa State on Friday by a military gunboat hired by a pipeline contractor.
Chief Levi in a statement signed and sent to NAIJA LIVE TV, had accused some known politician from Southern Ijaw LGA for sponsoring protests to tarnish the image of the Chief Executive Officer of Darlon, Chief David Lyon was due to his rising political image.
Chief Levi further revealed that a passenger boat was stopped for routine search by a hired military gunboat escorting a pipeline contractor to repair a damaged line in Igbomotoru.
It was revealed that, on sighting the gunboats, three men, including the deceased, jumped into the river and swam to the shore where they stood to observe what the occupants of the gunboat were up to.
“It was further revealed that when the boat was searched, the military personnel discovered that the Boat was containing bags of illegally refined crude oil products, prompting the yet-to-be identified military men to go after the men who jumped overboard the boat, and in the process one of them was killed.
The statement read;
“The attention of Darlon Oil & Gas Limited has been drawn to a false story circulating in traditional and electronic media platforms, alleging that some of our staff were involved in the killing of one, Young Adolphus Major, in Igbomotoru Community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.”
“The false news report quoted some persons sponsored by a known politician from Southern Ijaw LGA as saying that our CEO, Chief David Lyon, mobilized a military gunboat to open fire on innocent travellers, killing one person.”
“We are aware also that the said politician sponsored some persons from the community to protest against our Principal, alleging that we are responsible for the death of seven other persons, whose identity the leader of the protest could not confirm.”
“As a law abiding company operating in Nigeria, ordinary we would not have joined issues with the sponsored protesters, but for the avoidance of doubt, we wish to put the records straight by distancing ourselves from the report which we consider as a mare imagination of mischievous elements who are bent on denting the rising political image of our Principal.”
“From our investigation, it was learnt that an oil and gas servicing company had hired a gunboat to escort its staff to repair a damaged pipeline close to Igbomotoru Community.”
“We further gathered that on the way back from their mission to clamp/repair the damaged pipeline, about 8pm, the gunboats escorting the team accosted a passenger boat with four persons onboard.”
“Our source reliably informed us that when the passenger boat was stopped for routine search, three men, including the deceased, jumped into the river and swam to the shore where they stood to observe what the occupants of the gunboat were up to.”
“It was further revealed that when the boat was searched, bags containing illegally refined crude oil products were discovered inside the passenger boat, prompting the yet-to-be identified military men to go after the men who jumped overboard the boat, and in the process one of them was killed.”
“As a duly registered company in Nigeria, we urge the agents of mischief against our Principal to fact-check their stories before going to the press, as Darlon Oil & Gas Limited was not involved in the clamping/repair of the damaged pipeline that led to the killing of the deceased in Igbomotoru Community.”
“We wish to use this medium to pray that the Lord Almighty grant the family of the deceased the fortitude to bare the irreplaceable lose and sympathize with the entire community of Igbomotoru Community.”
Signed:
Chief Levi Wilson.
Chairman, Darlon Oil & Gas Limited.