Esit Eket Stakeholders Issue Seven Day Ultimatum Over PIA Funds, Threaten EFCC and ICPC Petitions
A fresh dispute has erupted over the management of Petroleum Industry Act funds in Esit Eket Local Government Area, with traditional rulers, political leaders and community stakeholders demanding a full public account of billions of naira allegedly received under the Host Community Development Trust scheme.
At an enlarged meeting held at the palace of the Paramount Ruler of Esit Eket, Ubong Peter Assam II, stakeholders issued a seven day ultimatum to members of the Trust to disclose total inflows, expenditures, scholarship disbursements and projects executed since the body was constituted in 2021.
The meeting brought together village heads, youth and women representatives, community leaders and political stakeholders from the three political zones of the local government area, all of whom accused the Trust leadership of operating without transparency, consultation or accountability.
Participants warned that failure to comply with the ultimatum could lead to petitions to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission for alleged financial misconduct and abuse of office.
Speaking during the gathering, the Paramount Ruler insisted that the demand for accountability was not intended to witch hunt anyone but to protect community resources and restore confidence in the administration of the Petroleum Industry Act framework.
“Our children were given opportunity to serve our community since 2021 in the PIA and their tenure had long expired. We asked them to come and render account. It was not an act to witch hunt anyone,” the monarch said.
He further alleged that despite repeated invitations by the traditional institution, some representatives of the Trust refused to appear before the community, while others allegedly resorted to attacks against traditional rulers on social media.
Former House of Representatives spokesman and Special Adviser to the Senate President on Media and Publicity, Eseme Eyiboh, lamented what he described as the visible underdevelopment of Esit Eket despite significant financial inflows linked to oil operations.
He cited epileptic electricity supply, lack of banking infrastructure and poor development indices as evidence that host communities had not meaningfully benefited from proceeds accruing under the PIA structure.
Former Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Bassey Essien, also questioned the management of scholarship and grant programmes under the Trust, alleging that some funds meant for students may have been diverted.
“We must not allow thieves to steal what God has given us, which is the proceeds of PIA,” he said, while calling for the public release of beneficiary records, payment details and project expenditures.
Also speaking, former Commissioner for Women Affairs, Ini Adiakpan, urged stakeholders to speak with one voice against what she described as secrecy and lack of accountability in the management of community resources.
The latest confrontation follows an earlier communiqué issued by Esit Eket traditional rulers in January 2026 demanding the dissolution of the current Trust leadership, an independent audit of all PIA related finances from 2021 to 2025 and the suspension of further payments pending the outcome of investigations.
Stakeholders at Saturday’s meeting alleged that those resolutions, which were reportedly forwarded to Seplat Energy and other relevant parties, were ignored, prompting renewed calls for sanctions and anti corruption investigations.
The communiqué also named several representatives accused by stakeholders of sidelining community interests and failing to provide details of financial inflows and expenditures under the Trust. The individuals mentioned have yet to publicly respond to the allegations.
