Owerri, Imo State – Members of the Achi Mbieri Community in Mbaitoli Local Government Area have raised serious concerns over the handling of oil revenue accruable to the community, calling for transparency and accountability from their leadership.
At a news briefing organized by the Achi Stakeholders Forum on Sunday in Owerri, community members alleged that President-General (PG) Victor Iwuagwu unequally distributed funds paid by Seplat Energy, an oil exploration company, to the component villages without approval or supervision from the community’s executive council.
The community’s Financial Secretary, Richard Durunna, denied any involvement in the disbursement, stating that Iwuagwu had unilaterally run the community’s affairs.
“I only learned that funds had been paid when the villages confirmed receiving money. The sharing formula was allegedly based on instructions from his late mother in a dream, which I find bizarrely disturbing,” Durunna said.
Following a Saturday meeting, the stakeholders and community members issued a 48-hour ultimatum demanding that Iwuagwu convene an emergency meeting to explain his financial decisions.
Other community leaders also weighed in. Charles Opara, a forum member, described the discovery of oil in the community as a “supposed blessing rather than a reason for chaos” and urged the PG to avoid personalizing community wealth.
Traditional Prime Minister Nzeh Adolphus Nnadi called on the Imo State Government to order a forensic audit to resolve the dispute, while youth leader Chigazu Ohamadike appealed for peaceful dialogue and calm resolution.
Attempts to reach PG Iwuagwu for comment were unsuccessful, as he repeatedly declined calls.
The development underscores rising tensions in oil-rich communities in Nigeria, where mismanagement of resource revenues often triggers community unrest and legal battles.
