Former agitators in the Niger Delta region have threatened to disrupt peace in the region if the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPCL) fails to include indigenous companies in its recent award of pipeline maintenance contracts.
The former warlords, under the egis of the Coalition of Ex-Agitators of Niger Delta (CEND), described the decision of the NNPCL to award pipeline maintenance to only four northern companies as insensitive, provocative and disobedience to local content provisions.
The stakeholders said any attempt by the NNPCL to insist on awarding such contracts to companies belonging to northerners alone would be a recipe for fresh violence in the region.
In a statement at the weekend by its Coordinator, Gershom Gbobo; spokesperson, Dr. David Tonye Banigo; National Secretary, Johnson Akpobari, and National Director for Mobilisation, Goodluck Warikere, CEND said Niger Delta youths would not allow any company of northern extraction to execute the maintenance of pipelines in their backyards.
They averred that the right thing to do in the interest of peace is to give Niger Delta companies the job of maintaining pipelines located in their region while the northern firms should be given contracts for such facilities in the north.
Read Also: Ooni: Igbo migrated from Ile-Ife, dynasty house still in my palace
They said: “We will never allow such cheating, marginalisation, injustice and insensitivity to occur in this new administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose mantra remains justice, equity and fairness. The NNPCL should know that its actions and conducts would determine the level of peace in the oil-bearing communities of the Niger Delta.
“We will not allow this provocative action of awarding pipeline maintenance contracts only to companies owned by northern cabals. What happens to all the Niger Delta indigenous companies? No northern company would be allowed to carry out routine maintenance on pipelines located in our territory.
“Companies in our region must be engaged for such contracts to create jobs for the youths and keep all stakeholders busy. Northern companies should also be given such jobs in the north. We warn that there will be unrest and crisis, if NNPCL fails to review this gross injustice.”
The ex-militant leaders urged the international community to understand their position on the matter.
“We are sure that international community will understand that we are fighting for our rights. We must be involved in this. This is one contract that can be used to discourage pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta. Why will they give such a contract to people who are not from the region? Have they awarded any contract in the north to those of us from the Niger Delta?” they queried.