Security beefed up in Turkana oil field over protests

Trucks of the first crude oil consignment from Lokichar, Turkana arrive at the Mombasa's Changamwe KPRL storage facility on Thursday 07th June 2018. [Maarufu Mohamed,Standard]

Security has been beefed up at Ngamia 8 oil site in Turkana County as stalemate over transportation of crude oil continues following persistent protests by residents.

Turkana County Commissioner Seif Matata confirmed the latest measurers that have been taken to guard the area after a rampage that saw protectors break into the site on Friday.

"Ngamia 8 oil site in Turkana East was on Friday stormed by angry residents of Nakukulas village. This is a site with storage tanks where trucks are loaded with crude oil before being transported to Mombasa,” said Matata.

Last week, angry residents blocked trucks transporting crude oil to Mombasa from Lokichar along the Lokichar-Kitale highway protesting runaway insecurity and other concerns among them job opportunities and awarding of tenders.

The conflicts are likely to hurt steps that have been taken in oil exploration that discovered huge deposits in Turkana County. Drilling has also positioned the country among oil producers in the region.

Matata said only operations were stopped at the oil site when the protestors broke in but nothing was destroyed.

He said security has been intensified in the region and at oil site. He urged residents to remain calm as the government is resolving the matter of insecurity issues.

He said demands such as employment to locals have always been solved amicably through negotiations with Tullow Oil to ensure Turkana residents are given first priority.

The county commissioner said protests over insecurity is just ‘blackmail’ to the government that had put in place measures to improve security situation in the region.

“Incidents of raids have drastically reduced and whenever they occur, the national police service officers have always endeavored to recover all the livestock stolen," he said.

He added: "In Kapedo where residents have always raised concerns over insecurity, we have stationed two specialized police units of General Service Unit (GSU), Rapid Deployment Unit operating in Lokori, Kamuge, Lomelo, Kapedo, Napeitom to ensure bandits don't infiltrate there."

Matata further said GSU officers have intensified security patrols to tackle highway banditry along Kapedo-Chemolingot highway.

"As county security team, we assure all the people that Turkana is secure and when the Tullow Oil Company is ready to resume transportation of oil after their own assessment, we are ready to escort the oil out of Turkana to Mombasa and nobody can stop it," Mr. Matata said.

Local leaders among them Turkana South MP James Lomenen and his Turkana East counterpart Mohammed Lokiru said banditry issues had made residents of the county feel very insecure.