The Imo State Government is getting ready to engage in a war with its Rivers counterpart over oil wells.
The oil wells which are at the centre of what may snow ball into a full blown disagreement between both states lie between their common boundaries.
On August 6, 2020, the Imo State Government appeared before the National Boundary Commission in Abuja.
Reports say that the Hope Uzodinma Government submitted certain sensitive materials which it hopes would establish its ownership of oil wells that it is claiming from the Rivers State.
Curiously, Rivers State Government officials were not represented when Imo State began its quest to wrest oil wells that are currently under its control.
It is not clear why Governor Hope Uzodinma who is being described as a “Supreme Court governor” by his opponents has decided to pick a fight with the Rivers State.
Although the battle between both states is not particularly new, the Rivers State has had the upper hand when it comes to claims over the disputed oil wells.
Under the Rotimi Amaechi administration, the courts held that the disputed oil wells belong to the Rivers State.
The Supreme Court has reportedly lent its weight to the Rivers claim, following an interpretation made at the behest of the Wike administration.
But from the run of events, the Imo State government led by Governor Hope Uzodinma is determined to snatch the said wells from Rivers State.
How far the Imo State Government would go to inconvenience its Rivers counterpart remains to be seen.
Governor Uzodimma has succeeded in rousing public support among the Imo people for what is seemingly his pet project.
Across the common boundary which separates both sides, the Rivers people are determined not to cede an inch of what they consider their God given wealth, politics or not.
We have confirmed that the Surveyor-General of the Federation, Surveyor Samuel Adeniran, and the Director-General of the National Boundary Commission, Surveyor Adaji Adamu were both present when the Deputy Governor of Imo State, Prof Placid Njoku who is also the Chairman of the State’s Boundary Commission approached the Commission last Thursday.
He was accompanied by a high level delegation which comprised the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr C.O.C Akolisa, the Special Adviser and Coordinator Oil and Gas, Rt. Hon. Goodluck Nanah Opiah, Oil and Gas expert, Dr. Chioma Njoku, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Lands, Survey and Physical Planning, Surveyor Uzoma John, and the Surveyor General of the State, Surveyor C.A.P. Anele.
We have learnt that a survey plan of Imo State were among documents which were tendered by Prof. Njoku.
