THERE was apprehension among
riverine dwellers, yesterday, as the Nigerian Navy and Army deployed fighter
jets and gunboats to the creeks and other strategic locations in Warri
South-West Local Government Area, Delta State, in response to last Friday’s threat
by the Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, to resume bombing of oil facilities.
*Nigerian navy ship Some oil servicing company workers, who returned to Warri
from Escravos, on Monday night, told Vanguard that they sighted the massive
build-up by the armed forces on their way back from work.
However, yesterday
afternoon, riverine dwellers, especially in Gbaramatu Kingdom, reported that
fighter jets and helicopters hovered around the communities, causing some of
them, mainly women and children, to run into hiding in the forest.
It’s normal
patrol —NNS Commander Contacted, the Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS, Delta,
Warri Naval Base, Commodore Ibrahim Dewu, said: “What they are speculating as
military deployment is routine patrol along Escravos and the Trans Forcados
Pipeline.
Once we sense any security concern on that line, our men usually move
in to patrol the area. Nobody is deploying any gunboat or jets to specific
communities. It is a normal patrol.” Commander, Operation Delta Safe, Col.
Alhassan Grema, and Spokesperson, Joint Task Force, Major Ibrahim Abdulahi,
declined response when called on the situation. Tompolo fortifies security
Meanwhile, ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, who
declared, Monday, that he had no plan to bomb pipelines contrary to the
allegation levelled against him by the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers, RNDA, is
said to have fortified his security. A source told one of our reporters: “We do
not want to leave anything to chance because some people desperately want to drag
Tompolo into the affair and are using even youths of the region.
You saw the
statement by RNDA that they know Tompolo’s hideout and volunteered to pilot
soldiers to the place. It is highly annoying, but we have to do what we have to
do for now.” Uduaghan calls for engagement Former governor of Delta State, Dr.
Emmanuel Uduaghan, told Vanguard: “I am appealing for caution in handling the
renewed threat by the Niger Delta Avengers. I am appealing to the Niger Delta
Avengers to drop the threat and the Federal Government to continue on the path
of engagement. The issues raised from the various peace movements by the
Vice-President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, on behalf of the Federal Government that
brought some calm should be seriously addressed.
We must all support the Acting
Governor, Mr. Kingsley Otuaro, who has been managing the renewed threat.”
Fighter jet, helicopter sighted at 1.00pm –Gbenekama Ijaw leader and
Ibibenimowe (Chief Mobilizer) of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Chief Godspower Gbenekama,
who confirmed the “invasion,” asserted: “At about 1,00 pm, a military chopper,
fighter jet and navy boats roamed the length and breadth of Gbaramatu, while
the chopper continued hovering around the palace of the Pere (King) of
Gbaramatu kingdom. “The jets hovered over the place for some minutes before
they left. Why this is happening, we do not know. Gbaramatu is not at war with
the Federal Government. The Niger Delta Avengers do not live in Gbaramatu nor
do they live in Gbaramatu palace and we do not know them.
We do not know what
their plans are. The people are afraid. We don’t want what happened to us in
2009 and 2015 to repeat itself in 2017. We have struggled to maintain peace in
Gbaramatu Kingdom. The traditional ruler of Gbaramatu Kingdom has issued a
statement calling for peace and admonishing the Avengers not to embark on
hostilities.
The kingdom had also issued a statement pleading with the Federal
Government to look at the problems agitating the minds of the people of the
Niger Delta with a view of solving them immediately.’’ Invading Gbaramatu not
the solution —Annkio Briggs Reacting, Niger Delta campaigner, Ms Ann-Kio
Briggs, said: “This is a very strong threat in response to what the government
also sees as a threat. Are the people the government is looking for inside
Gbaramatu? What is the point of harassing the innocent citizens of Gbaramatu?
As a non-violence agitator, I am fed up with all these threats and counter-
threats and the fact that the Nigerian government is truly insincere and does
not want to solve the Niger Delta issues. I don’t know where this is taking us
and I don’t think this is the best thing for the government to do because what
the security agents will do is to beat up the people and burn houses.’’ It’s a
sad development – Uranta Executive Secretary, Nigerian National Summit Group,
NNSG, Tony Uranta, asserted: “Unfortunately, Nigeria wages war against the poor
citizens of Gbaramatu and other peace-loving people of Niger Delta.” We are
very worried that the federal government has allowed Nigeria to return to this
crossroad yet again.
Even after all the troubles PANDEF had taken to win peace
and stability back to the Niger Delta, since last year, when the NDA
unilaterally declared a ceasefire and authorised us to interface with the FGN
on their behalf. ‘’PANDEF has always advised the Federal Government against its
penchant for over-militarization of the Niger Delta.
Whatever actions by the
youthful agitators in the creeks have been certifiably reactions to what all
Niger Deltans regard as an insidious plot by some enemies of the region, who
appear more hell-bent on demonizing the people of the Niger Delta, whilst
unwavering in their resolve to suck all the resources dry, leaving the
indigenes impoverished and the environment despoiled.
‘’We have called on the
young men and women in the creeks to, please, not revert to the threatened
violence, whilst PANDEF gives the obviously not-blameless federal government
some time to embrace the window of opportunity to fulfill the many promises it
has made to the Niger Delta region’s people in the last year. Call military to
order – IYC The Eric Omare-shepherded Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, in a statement,
condemned the development. It said: “The IYC has just been briefed about
fighter jets hovering around the Gbaramatu Guesthouse in Oporoza in Gbramatu
Kingdom, Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State and thereby
causing tension among inhabitants of Oporoza community. This is unnecessary and
condemnable.
It would be recalled that this same guesthouse was a subject of
attack during the 2009 bombardment of Gbaramatu Kingdom. The Nigerian military
must not allow a repeat of the 2009 experience. “We strongly feel that the
situation on ground does not warrant military jet fighters going to any
community in Gbaramatu or any community in the Niger Delta region. We call on
the military authorities to call their officers to order. The deployment of
military jets is causing unnecessary tension already in the riverine
communities of Delta State. Gbaramatu Kingdom and some other Ijaw communities
have suffered too much in the hands of overzealous military officers.
“While
stakeholders are making efforts to prevail on militants not to resume
hostilities, we also call on the military not to do things that would aggravate
the already tense situation in the region. President Buhari must call the
military authorities to order to avoid unnecessary crisis in the Niger Delta
region.” IPDI condemns fresh military siege President of Ijaw Peoples
Development Initiative, IPDI, Mr. Austin Ozobo, also condemned the deployment
of troops to the area. “We condemn the deployment of troops to invade sleeping
communities in Gbaramatu kingdom.
It is over a year since the government
promised a dialogue process to holistically address Niger Delta demands, yet
nothing has been done about it.” “Has the government ever blamed itself for the
delay of the dialogue process, failure to implement the relocation of IOCs
headquarters to Niger Delta region and should Niger Delta be blamed for the
renewed provocation? We wish to state clearly that deployment of troops is not
the solution to Niger Delta struggle. You cannot continue to do the same thing
repeatedly and expect different response.’ Peace will elude Nigeria, except
those who bear the golden eggs are given a better place in Nigeria,” the
activist said.
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