Nigeria's oil output might witness a decline in production as KOMBOT, a body of graduates from Egbema, Gbaramatu and Ogulagha kingdoms in Warri North, Warri South-West, and Burutu local government areas of Delta State, has threatened to halt operations of Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL, in its domain via protest over the failure of the oil giant to give due recognition to graduates from the area in its ongoing employment scheme.

The President of KOMBOT, Mr. Olaye Tare, gave the warning at a press briefing in Warri on Monday (April 14, 2025) while calling on the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led federal government and other stakeholders to call CNL to order.

KOMBOT, in its statement, which was signed by its President, Olaye, and Secretary, Charles Kin, said its action to embark on a peaceful protest against CNL is due to the oil giant's injustice and marginalization of host communities in the company's recent recruitment exercise after several attempts to ensure Chevron correct the abnormality failed to yield positive result.

According to KOMBOT, the CNL, whose actions of neglecting the employment of its graduates which goes against the Nigeria Local Content Act of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, should be held responsible for the pending mother protest they vowed will affect the company's operations and will not stop until its demands are met.

The statement reads: "My name is Comr. Tare Olaye and I am the President of KOMBOT. KOMBOT is using this medium to inform the general public and the security agencies of our intention to initiate another round of protest against the management of Chevron Nigeria Limited, as a result of the GROSS INJUSTICE and ill-treatment of KOMBOT graduates in the ongoing Chevron recruitment exercise.

"For quite some years now, Chevron Nigeria Ltd has refused to employ any of our Graduates as permanent staff with reasons best known to them. This act on its own is a broad-day robbery and a gross injustice that goes against the Nigeria Local Content Act of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

"Recall, sometime last year, Chevron opened their portal for employment opportunities of which majority of our Graduates applied. In specific, the employment advert was slated on: (1) 12th September 2024— 26th September 2024; (2) 3rd October, 2024-17th October 2024.

"It's enshrined in the Nigeria Local Content Act that preference should be given to Host Communities in any recruitment process from IOC's (International Oil Companies). But CNL in their usual fraudulent ways denied giving Host Communities our needed percentage in her recruitment process. Rather, they chooses to invite their relatives, friends and whoever they desire to participate in the online recruitment test.

"As a result of this sad and ugly trend, letters were written on several occasions to CNL and copies were sent to the different security agencies to drag their attention so as to correct this wrong before it snowballs into something else.

Thereafter, several meetings were held between CNL and our various Host Communities Development Trust (HCDT) and representatives of KOMBOT. After much deliberations and series of adjourned meetings, CNL sent a mail requesting our people to send in names of those that applied and their application details. This mail was treated with utmost urgency thinking Chevron wants to do the needful.

"It will interest the general public to know that since the mail was sent, the Management of CNL has not responded to the names that were sent to them and has denied our Graduates employment opportunities. Meanwhile, the Host Graduates that lay the Golden eggs is left to suffer.

"ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! This injustice must stop and we have to resist CNL unjust treatment against our Graduates because they have shown in their actions that they don't have regard for host communities.

"However, CNL used the same information to sieve out our graduate from the process simply because they did not want the Host Communities Graduate to be part of the system for reasons best known to CNL Nigeria management and this has gone unchecked over the years.

"Now, we are ready to fight this obnoxious employment policy that, over the years, is carefully orchestrated by CNL Trabalistic Management to only favour their kins men/women to the detriment of the Host Community Graduates.

"We are, therefore, calling on the Federal Government of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the National Assembly, under the leadership of Hon. Godswill Akpabio, stakeholders of both Gbaramatu, Egbema and Ogulagha Kingdoms to intervene and call Chevron Nig. Ltd. to order, or else, we will bring to a halt all Chevron operations in our domain and Chevron Nig. Ltd should be held responsible.

"Chevron Nigeria management should know that this is the mother of all protests, which could lead to drastic production shut-in, and we are ready for them. Nigeria belong to everybody. We will not allow this injustice to continue anymore. Kindly Note: THIS PROTEST WILL LAST UNTIL OUR DEMANDS ARE MEANT. A Stich in Time Saves Nine," KOMBOT warned.

#penglobalcommunity #KOMBOT #Chevron #Delta