"The company and the government then sent a helicopter to the area. The officials in the helicopter warned the people in English to disperse or something would happen to them. Most of the crowd did not understand what was being said and the sight of the helicopter added more fun to the fetching of the liquid gold manna.

"The officials followed up their threat with firing nerve gas at the crowd, which made it impossible for them to run. Those who attempted to run could not move their limps with agility. Then the horror came; the place was set on fire with the intention of killing everybody present and to prevent anybody from giving evidence."

In our Report of October 20, ERA asked the question:

"WHAT CAUSED THE INFERNO?

"The immediate cause of the fire has yet to be established. Everyone, however, admit that prior to the fire outbreak, a leak had occurred and several people from the Idjerhe clan consisting of 32 communities had gone to Atiegwo either to fetch the fuel or simply to look at what was happening.

"It is being suggested that because the atmosphere was charged with petrol fumes, even a little spark could have sparked off the fire. What caused the spark is unknown. If someone saw it happen it is not probable that such a person would be alive to tell the tale. There is the theory that
since some of those who went to fetch the fuel had iron buckets with them these may have clashed and set off sparks. ERA also learnt that about five minutes before the explosion, a helicopter belonging to Shell Petroleum Development Company Nigeria Limited hovered over the place and reportedly warned the people to leave the place."

JESSE FIRE CAUSED BY FG, OIL FIRMS

Former Chief of Army Staff, Major General David Ejoor (rtd), has blamed oil companies and the Federal Government for the disaster which killed about 1,000 people in Jesse Ethiope Local Government Area of Delta State.

The retired General, in a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday in Warri, said evidence abounds that the fire was caused by the oil companies.

The statement read in full:

"On October 17, 1998, the rush by the local people to collect spilled petrol from the oil pipeline resulted in the death of over 1,000 Urhobo people in Jesse.

"Evidence abounds that the fire was caused by the oil companies and the Government.

"When the spillage became a general knowledge, the oil companies moved in to cover the cartel that was siphoning petrol from a joint valve near Idjerhe in tankers. Towards daybreak, the saboteurs failed to put the pipes back properly and hence the spillage of petrol.

"The spilled petrol flowed in the farm and in Ethiope River. People going to their farms discovered that they were wading in petrol and not in water. There was a rush to fetch the petrol from the farm and the floating petrol in the river.

"News got to the police and the oil companies. Attempts were made to persuade the crowd to disperse. The oil companies feared that it was going to be impossible to explain the cause of the spillage to any satisfaction. The Oil Company then sold the idea that the local people had sabotaged the oil pipe.

"The company and the government then sent a helicopter to the area. The officials in the helicopter warned the people in English to disperse or something would happen to them. Most of the crowd did not understand what was being said and the sight of the helicopter added more fun to the fetching of the liquid gold manna.

"The officials followed up their threat with firing nerve gas at the crowd, which made it impossible for them to run. Those who attempted to run could not move their limps with agility. Then the horror came; the place was set on fire with the intention of killing everybody present and to prevent anybody from giving evidence.

"These actions accounted for the two nerve-ranking statements by the Head of State, to the effect that there would be no compensation to Idjerhe people and the scaring off, of survivors from giving evidence by the military Administrator, hence many victims ran away from the hospitals.

"The horror meted to the Urhobo people in Idjerhe could be avoided, if the Government and the oil companies regarded the local people as Nigerians who have a share in the proceeds of their activities. The local people are regarded as nuisance.

"If the Government and the oil companies have good Urhobo (public) relation's senior officer, and not just only Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba technocrats, the warning given from the helicopter could have been in Urhobo language, to be understood by Idjerhe people.

"The oil companies have covered up their injustices of stealing petrol, by using the helicopter to murder 1,000 people. The Federal Government shied away from her responsibility, by giving the impression that the rural innocent village farmers carried out the sabotage of oil pipes.

"So, what next? No amount of compensation can bring back the dead, but Government must ensure the orphans are documented, trained, housed and generally looked after.

"Besides, Government must realise that people from areas where national wealth is made are Nigerians  and should not be excluded from the policy-making machine.

"The general probe should be instituted, instead of the present probe by the oil companies that will at best cover up their iniquities.
 

Are the pieces starting to fall in?

Headquarters
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