Pipeline Attacks: Otuaro To Gbaramatu Youths: Peace Is Path To Development

× Youths Cry Out Over military Harassments and Oil Companies Denials

From Bulou Kosin.

Chairman of Advocacy Committee Against Oil Facility Vandalism and Deputy Governor of Delta State, Barr. Kingsley Burutu Otuaro has appealed to the youths of Gbaramatu Kingdom to rise up to protection of oil facilities in their domain whether or not they were perpetrators of vandalism, stressing that peace by any means remains the platform from which development and progress can be launched.

The Otuaro-led Advocacy Committee, yesterday (Tuesday) , visited Oporoza, headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom where it retired to a Town-Hall meeting with youths and ex-militants in their numbers, after conferring with HRM, Oboro-Gbaraun II, the Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom.

The youth after youth who spoke at the Town Hall meeting, lamented that innocent citizens were being harassed by the military in occupation. A youth leader, Moses Yabrade, apparently hit the bull's eye when he recommended a path to safety of oil installations not implemented by oil companies and government.

He lamented that while the youths were willing to be involved despite their lamentable condition, there was no synergy between the government and its agencies for opting for surveillance, stressing that the arrest and incarceration of 5 persons/agents of the Pipeline Surveillance/Protection Services (PSPS) as confirmed by Chevron was a frightening experience. He advised that the Otuaro-led Advocacy Committee should help create the platform for the required synergy and work.

"In history, violence upon violence has never produced peace. Innocent ordinary people suffer for military harassment and intimidation that has made Gbaramatu Kingdom an endangered species. Gathering and working with intelligence is better", Yabrade said, adding: "Nobody will destroy or allow the destruction of what or where he feeds from".

"If the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC) gas line was engaged to generate electricity, for instance, for the communities in its path, no community will allow such vandalism that negatively affects its comfort, without confronting the perpetrators", he continued.

Yabrade added that the Pipelines Products Marketing Company (PPMC) should re-introduce its abandoned but beautiful proposal of development award/projects for  peaceful communities, an idea he said could galvanize communities to active protection of oil facilities.

To the applause of the youths, Yabrade opined that the employment of Niger Deltans and grants of meaningful contracts in the Oil Industry could help motivate communities to protecting oil installations. He said the non engagement of people of the state in pipelines repairs contracts with non employment of youth of the area poses a serious problem for the people. He also said the Federal Government should kick-start the Export Processing Zone(EPZ) project capable of employing over 150, 000 youths.

He concluded that over 80% of pre-amnesty issues were left unattended to by Government.

The youths also expressed concern that people of the region close to the previous Goodluck Jonathan administration were being hunted, like High Chief Government Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo, who was zealously protecting oil installations from vandals.

They also recommended that the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko, be funded and allowed to kick off to  further engage the youths to meaningful ends.

The Deputy Governor, while agreeing that Gbaramatu Kingdom was 'an endangered species", noted that "war was hardly founded on justification". Otuaro stressed that it was better to pursue peace so that as leaders, even before now in the struggle, we could engage federal government to grant some of the requests you have made.

Otuaro, who told the youths that his Advocacy Committee was open to privileged information even in private, asserted: "We seek your partnership and collaboration to finding a permanent solution to the challenge. It's upon this honour you'll do to us your leaders that we'll engage the federal government to grant your requests. A dead man can't ask for light or employment".

PIPELINE VANDALISM: Gen. Boroh Declines to Accompany Otuaro-led Anti-Oil Facility Vandalism C'ttee to Creeks - Press Release

Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Gen. Paul Boroh (rtd)  said today, that he had confidence in the Delta State Advocacy Committee Against Oil Facility Vandalism headed by Deputy Governor, Barr. Kingsley Burutu Otuaro but declined to accompany the Committee to the creeks as expected.

Boroh, who hailed Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for his acumen on the constitution of the membership of the committee, was also  awaited by the people of Gbaramatu to accompany the Committee to Oporoza.  The Amnesty boss, however, left for Abuja as the Committee took to Gbaramatu Kingdom in its ongoing engagement of the oil-bearing communities to fashion out a way to discontinue the bombing of oil facilities in the state.

"We had audience with HRM, the Olu of Warri and the Agadagba of Egbema. We also had audience with youth groups and ex-militants to gather intelligence on how to end the menace", Otuaro explained to the Amnesty boss, adding: "We'll be going to Gbaramatu Kingdom shortly and will be spending the night working. We will visit Ogulagha and Ugborodo in the days ahead".

Otuaro explained that the State government would welcome any collaboration that will solve the problem of oil facility vandalism that has adversely affected the economy of the nation and Delta state.

Boroh, who himself identified members of the committee said with such membership, the committee's mission of of stopping the spate of vandalism was 90% accomplished.

Commenting on the effect of an atmosphere of insecurity on the nation, Gen Boroh said: "I had discussions with investors from Germany, Isreal, Britain amongst others but they said Nigeria especially the Warri and the Niger Delta region was not safe for business. I am happy Governor Okowa has chosen the right men to help meet the mission and change the negative impression people have of the area"

Pipeline Bombing: Ijaw Elders Call For FG Restraint, Warned Against Military Invasion Of Gbaramatu

Ijaw Council of Elders also known as Ijaw (Izon) Okosu-Otu in Delta State have called on the Federal Government to prevail on the military to sheathe their swords and accept a political solution to the ongoing Tompolo saga as it relates to the recent oil pipeline vandalisations and corruption allegations for which a warrant of arrest was reportedly issued by a Lagos High Court on the ex-militant warlord.

The open letter read in parts:

Dated 19 January, 2016

Your Excellency,
Mohammadu Buhari,
President, Federal Republic of Nigeria,
Aso Rock,
Abuja.

Your Excellency,

PIPELINE ATTACKS: IJAW ELDERS SAY NO TO ANOTHER MILITARY INVASION OF GBARAMATU KINGDOM

The recent vandalization of oil installations in the Gbaramatu Kingdom area of the Niger Delta has massed up military presence with mounting apprehension of military invasion as happened in 2009. Already, there is a mass exodus of people from the  communities creating huge refugee crisis in Warri and other communities. Again, at the centre is Government Ekpemupolo, aka Tompolo, projected as mastermind of the pipeline vandalisations.

As Elders, we condemn the recent oil pipeline vandalization but advise caution from a hasty conclusion on the mastermind for several reasons. We also feel a duty to caution other ethnic groups against actions that can ignite avoidable inter-ethnic uprising and suggest alternative way to the options available to the Federal Government for resolving the impasse.

A: WHY THE SEARCH FOR THE CULPRIT SHOULD NOT BE LIMITED TO TOMPOLO

1.While not holding brief for Tompolo, the ex-militant leader and contractor to the Federal Government had the backing of former President Goodluck Jonathan in policing the pipelines during which period he stepped on toes of many big time oil bunkerers across the nation. That way, oil production was raised to a record height. As one now in opposition party, could agents of the present ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) whose toes he stepped on, be fighting back with actions for smear campaign?

2.In what many believe to be an illegal move, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, reportedly froze the accounts of Tompolo and his companies. He had several youths in employment who are now jobless and frustrated. Could the frustrated youths, now free from Tompolo’s control, be venting their anger on Tompolo and the Federal Government?

3.Could those interested in Tompolo’s oil installations surveillance contract, have orchestrated this vandalism and blame it on Tompolo at this time of his travails with the EFCC? Tompolo himself cried out about this just before the pipeline vandalisations!

B: PROVOCATIVE INTERFERENCE OF PERSONALITIES OF NEIGHBOURING ETHNIC GROUPS UNFORTUNATE

It must be clearly noted that Tompolo had problem with a Federal Government agency and not with any ethnic group. We are therefore worried by the provocative interference of persons from neighbouring Itsekiri ethnic group who, having axe to grind with Tompolo over the years and KNOWN to be interested in his oil surveillance contract from time, is seen on front Page of Vanguard of Monday, January 18, 2016 with the military inspecting vandalized pipelines and granting interview on Channels TV on the issue. This interference from known rivals may ignite inter-ethnic crisis and should not be encouraged by security operatives interested in fostering inter-ethnic peace in the Warri area.

C: ARRESTING TOMPOLO NOW MAY BE COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE

Tompolo, having paid his dues in the struggle for emancipation of the Niger Delta, still enjoy mass followership who are sure to react to his avoidable humiliation, with dire consequences. This is not to say that Tompolo is above the law. We are afraid that events in the polity do not make attractive submission of self to arrests, which may have informed Tompolo’s decision to be at large. In 2009, when the conditions were ascertained right, Tompolo willingly gave himself up to accept the Federal Government amnesty deal. The manhunt for Tompolo, while it lasted in 2009, only left in its trail, burning of our communities, destruction of properties and raping of some women by soldiers of occupation and sundry vices. The supposed search for militants did not achieve any catch but plunder of innocent and defenseless people of Gbaramatu Kingdom and thousands of other Nigerians who lived therein. Let the Federal Government avoid a repeat.

D:THREAT TO ARREST IJAW ELDERS UNFORTUNATE

It is sad to note that Commanding Officers of the military in occupation threatened to arrest elders of the Ijaw communities where there was vandalization of oil installations. No such threat was issued to elders of communities in the North East where Boko Haram has held sway for years with sustained capacity for wrecking occasional and spectacular havocs on the populace till now. It should be noted that elders have words, not guns, to confront armed and angry youths and can only deploy words, to effect, only if the youths themselves believe the Federal Government would respect the words of the Ijaw elders. The seeming treatment that the Ijaw/Niger Delta is a conquered territory in the Nigerian nation is unfortunate and does not promote a sense  of belonging.

E: POLITICAL SOLUTION AS WAY FORWARD

We repeat that we, Ijaw (Izon) Okosu-Otu (Ijaw Council of Elders), Delta State, are not out here to hold brief for Tompolo. However, as elders, we have a role to play for peace. We appeal to the Federal Government to call on the military in occupation to sheathe their swords and accept a political solution to the ongoing Tompolo saga as it relates to the recent oil pipeline vandalisations and corruption allegations for which a warrant of arrest was reportedly issued by a Lagos High Court. Let there be reasonable time to work out the political solution. We cannot talk to our youths with guns on our heads.

We appeal to the Federal Government to work with the elders to achieve peace in the area.

May wisdom prevail!

Chief Bare Etolor
Chairman,
For and Behalf of Ijaw(Izon) Okosu-Otu
(Ijaw Council of Elders), Delta State.

Otuaro Urges Gbaramatu-Ijaw to Be Patient with Buhari, Okowa

Delta State Deputy Governor, Barr. (Deacon) Kingsley Burutu Otuaro has advised the people of Gbaramatu Kingdom to sustain the peace and prayerfully wait on President Mohammadu Buhari to deliver dividends of democracy.

Otuaro gave the admonition January 6, 2016 during visits to Okerenkoko, Oporoza amongst other places in Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South-West Local Government Area to engage the people on the need for peace for the Okowa-led administration to deliver more projects in the area.

At Okerenkoko, Otuaro used the opportunity to inspect preliminary works at the state government-sponsored road project in the community.

The Deputy Governor charged Roadwell Construction Company, contractors to the road project in Okerenkoko community to expedite action for early completion. At Oporoza, headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Otuaro also expressed the Okowa-led administration's readiness to deliver dividends of democracy to all parts of the state and sued for the present enabling peace in the area to continue.

While assuring community support for Governor Ifeanyi Okowa over prompt delivery of promised prosperity programmes/SMART Agenda, Chairman of Okerenkoko community, Chief James Tangbowei, in his response, thanked the Deputy Governor for his peace moves and for finding time to see the extent of the road project.