MGBALA Agwa, Umuofeke Agwa and Umukpo Agwa autonomous communities in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State, the host communities to Sterling Global Oil Resources Ltd, have shut down operations of the company, complaining of marginalisation.

In a peaceful protest, the enraged host communities said the firm was joking with them for years.

The protest, which kicked off on Saturday, led to the abrupt halt of activities as the protesting communities insisted no truck lifting oil would leave the facility until their demands were met.

The protesters arrived with extra clothing, canopies, chairs, food items, cooking gas, water and drinks and mounted their canopies on the access road, preventing vehicular movement.

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Elders cooked their breakfast, lunch and dinner on the protest ground, even as they passed the night there, threatening to continue the protest until their requests were met.

The protest letter was signed by representatives of the communities, Prince Chidi Nwokocha (Ezembi), the President General of Mgbala Agwa Autonomous Community; Anyanwu Bathram, and four others and submitted to the company on Saturday.

The host communities lamented what they termed “unbearable plights in the hands of your company, Sterling Global Oil Resources Ltd, which has been operating in our communities since 2006/2007, a period of 15 years now”.

Responding on behalf of the company, Colonel Akama, the Chief Security Officer, commended the communities for their peaceful disposition, saying he would convey their message to the management of the firm.