By Our Correspondent
National News – Women from Alesa community in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State staged a nude protest at the gate of the Port Harcourt Refining Company over a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the NNPCL and two Chinese firms for the rehabilitation and operation of the refinery.
The demonstrators, made up of women and youths, blocked the facility’s entrance to press home demands for inclusion in negotiations.
The protest, which began on Monday, May 11, 2026, in Eleme, Rivers State, followed claims that host communities were excluded from talks.
They insist on benefits, representation, and environmental accountability from the deal.
The agitation has stretched into a second week, with Alesa and neighbouring Okrika communities accusing the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited and its foreign partners of secrecy over the refinery rehabilitation MoU.
Residents are demanding the reconstitution of the Joint Community Relations Committee (JCRC) and full participation in decisions affecting the Port Harcourt refinery.
They argue that the lack of transparency around the agreement with Chinese firms has fuelled mistrust over ownership rights, compensation frameworks, and long-term environmental consequences in the oil-bearing region.
Community leader Chief Mrs Catherine Abbey-Wai said the people have borne the burden of hosting the refinery for decades without benefit.
She noted that farmlands have been depleted, livelihoods destroyed, and insecurity worsened by herdsmen encroachment.
She also lamented rising unemployment, saying many graduates in the area remain jobless despite the wealth generated from oil operations on their land.
She stressed that no agreement should be concluded without full consultation of men, women, youths, and traditional rulers in the host communities.
The Port Harcourt Refining Company has remained largely inactive for years despite repeated rehabilitation attempts, including a reported $1.5 billion intervention during the previous administration.
Protesters warn they will sustain the blockade until their demands are addressed, insisting that justice, inclusion, and tangible benefits must accompany any refinery revival plan.
