More than one dozen people, now former employees of Escravos Gas Liquid Project, a sub-contractor of the giant Chevron Oil Company, recover from an attack that included the use of tear gas, gunfire, and brutal beatings, allegedly directed from Chevron officials.
A series of bizzare events took place on the night of February 14th when the workers were told that would soon lose their jobs at an undetermined point in time.
It was gathered that scores of the workers who toiled at the company plant in Escravos had grave health concerns from their time spent there. In addition to the threat of imminent lay-offs at the end of their shifts, the price of their labor also meant a compromise in their health.
Many suffer from the remnants of illnesses connected with working closely with toxic materials. From breathing and skin disorders, to many suffering from various forms of cancer, the announcement that they would be fired from their jobs, without financial compensation was the last straw.
According to witnesses and Escravos plant employees, Chevron’s Security Detail, men from the Nigerian Army, and a military Mobile Force cut and broke through a wired fence to the employee compound and wrecked havoc. Tear gas canisters were fired onto the grounds and into targeted sleeping quarters. Employees who were up have been randomly beaten. Also gunshots were fired into buildings of the sleeping workers.
Chevron company officials singled out one of several leaders of the work stoppages, Ms. Eyoeyibo Girli. She allegedly became a target of the military-style surge on the employee compound. She was reportedly punched, kicked, and slammed to the ground by a team of heavily armed men. Her screams cut through the camp, and were heard by every employee on the compound. The beating stopped when one of the armed men was overheard saying, “Stop, she is dying. Enough.”
Employees who survived the attacks said Eyoeyibo Girli was moved to the Chevron Clinic where she laid there for at least 48 hours attached to an oxygen bag, and fluid drip in a coma. She egained consciousness five days later, on February 19th, and moved to the Vertimon Clinic in Warri.
Neither officials from Chevron Oil, nor officials from Escravos Gas Liquid Project have issued public statements regarding this case, or the controversial use of military officials in a private labor matter.
READ MORE: http://news.naij.com/64113.html
by Jillur Rahman
Jillur Rahman is a Web designers. He enjoys to make blogger templates. He always try to make modern and 3D looking Templates. You can by his templates from Themeforest.
Follow him @ Twitter | Facebook | Google Plus
No Comment