Ayamasa II: Dangote-owned Bluestar Gas Ltd Accused of Instigating Crisis in Delta Community

By Bulou Kosin

Bluestar Gas Ltd (BGL) allegedly owned by Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has been advised against instigating inter-communal crisis capable of disrupting its own operations in Ayamasa II community in Delta State.

Speaking to newsmen, Ayamasa II community Chairman, Mr Clement Dick Eniyekenemi said, “BGL deals with Ayamasa I in Bayelsa State and claims it has thereby also related with us, despite knowing Ayamasa II in Delta State as an autonomous and separate community.

“This is a deliberate design to instigate inter-communal crisis. We have written several letters and protested on October 20, 2025 at the area of operation in Ayamasa II, but up till now, Bluestar and its subcontractor, Gramen Petroserve Nigeria Ltd, are poised to proceed with force instead of negotiations with us. Despite my resort to the legal process, I cannot guarantee that the aggrieved community youths will tolerate any forceful entry by the companies”.

Through its lawyer, G. O. K. Bowe, Ayamasa II has issued a pre-action notice to the company and its sub-contractors to recognise and relate with Ayamasa II in Delta State within 30 days or face legal action to recover all that is due the community.

The letter, it was learnt, has reached the Lagos and Port-Harcourt offices of Renaissance formerly Shell, and Bluestar Gas Ltd, which inherited Shell’s assets, used for Bluestar’s Eseni-Utorogu gas pipeline project spanning Bayelsa and Delta States. Copies of the pre-action notice has also been sent to the DSS, Nigeria Police and other security agencies in Bomadi.

“Ayamasa II community, haven been duly granted autonomy by a Document of Autonomy dated 26th February 2024 and further recognised by a court judgement delivered on 28th February 2024, stands as a distinct and independent community under Bomadi LGA, Delta State”, the pre-action notice stated.

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The lawyer noted: “The continued exclusion (of Ayamasa II community) has occasioned grave economic, social and commercial injury to our clients and poses a serious risk of communal unrest between Ayamasa I and Ayamasa II communities. We believe that your company will not encourage a situation that will threaten the peaceful operations of your company in the area”.

It will be recalled that few months ago when Gramen Petroserve Nigeria Ltd, BGL’s subcontractor commenced laying pipes in Ayamasa II community, security agencies in Bomadi LGA of Delta State, worked hard to avert a clash with soldiers of the Nigerian Army recruited by the company to force their way through the resistance of Ayamasa II community in Delta State.

It was said that at the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report Review, at Ughelli last year, Bomadi LGA represented by then Secretary to the Local Government (SLG), Cliff Labo, Esq., made a case for two communities, namely Ayamasa II and Kpukpugbene to be treated as host communities as they fall in the right of way of the project.

While representative of the Minister of Environment, Dr Gashau was persuaded and appealed for inclusion of the two communities for peaceful operations, the Bluestar representatives after seeming agreement have turned around to ignore the Minister’s advice in perceived undermine of the legitimate rights of Ayamasa II community.