The Bayelsa State Government has called for fairness, transparency, and objectivity in the ongoing verification and coordinate plotting of crude oil and gas wells, urging the Inter-Agency Technical Committee of the Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Allocation Commission (RMFAC) to carry out its assignment with integrity.
The Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, made the appeal during a formal presentation of the state’s position on disputed oil and gas wells at the Government House in Yenagoa on Thursday, October 3, 2025.
Speaking on behalf of Governor Douye Diri, the Deputy Governor emphasized the importance of justice and peaceful coexistence between Bayelsa and its neighbouring states, particularly in areas where jurisdictional disagreements over oilfields exist.
He described the committee’s work as crucial and expressed confidence that their findings would guide RMFAC’s future decisions.
He said, “on behalf of the Governor, we thank the Chairman of RMFAC for setting up this Inter-Agency Technical Committee to carry ou this exercise. I think the last time this exercise was conducted either in 2004 or 2005.
“We’ve been expecting this for a long time. So we are happy to have you in our state. You will go to see all the areas where we have disputes with our neighbours.
“In Bayelsa, we believe in the spirit of complementation, and give and take. So be very objective in your assessment.We want you to be our guide. Whatever you look at (in your opinion) that is not legal, justiceable and not ours, we will happily relinquish.
“But we will not also allow anybody take what we strongly believe is ours. We will protect our land and resources. So, you really have to look at everything objectively.”
He specifically referenced the Soku Oilfield, a contentious point between Bayelsa and Rivers states, and urged RMFAC to consider its previous pronouncements on the matter, stating that the commission has the institutional memory to fairly adjudicate the issues.
News: LG Commission Lawsuit Withdrawn, Closed by Rivers Court
In a detailed PowerPoint presentation, Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Nimibofa Ayawei, disclosed that Bayelsa currently accounts for 49 onshore and 14 offshore oilfields. He added that 13 oil wells remain unplotted, with 12 non-producing fields and several disputed locations including Soku, Biseni, Obiafu, Ubie, and the Nda-Okwori OML 126 oilfields requiring joint verification.
Ayawei urged the committee to consider the historical and legal documentation submitted by the state, and to ensure that unplotted wells are accurately and fairly attributed.
In his response, chairperson of the Inter-Agency Technical Committee, Dr. Khadija Suleiman-Bello, reassured the Bayelsa State Government of the committee’s impartiality.
She noted that the team, composed of representatives from the National Boundary Commission, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, was committed to delivering a fair and credible outcome.
Suleiman-Bello stated that “our mission is to promote justice and peace. We are here to listen, observe and work with the facts presented.”
She led a 16-member delegation, including officials from key federal agencies, for the engagement with Bayelsa State officials.
The exercise is part of a broader national effort to resolve longstanding inter-state oilfield disputes and ensure equitable revenue sharing among Nigeria’s oil-producing states.
