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Tag: Niger Delta region.

  • NCDMB appointment: Ijaw youths commend Buhari

    NCDMB appointment: Ijaw youths commend Buhari

    The Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide and some members of Bayelsa State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have commended President Muhammadu Buhari for appointing an oil and gas expert, Mr. Simbi Wabote, as the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).

    Wabote, who hails from Brass Local Government Area, was among the newly appointed heads of agencies announced by the Federal Government on Monday.

    The IYC in a statement signed by its Spokesman on Tuesday, Mr. Eric Omare, described Wabote as a world-class engineer with several years of practice in the oil and gas industry, especially in the Niger Delta region.

    While congratulating Wabote, Omare urged him to use his experience in promoting community content in the oil and gas industry in Nigeria.

    He said: “The IYC expects Eng. Wabote to address the key question of community content within the context of the local content management which has been a source of concern to oil and gas-bearing communities of the Niger Delta region.

    “Presently local content is been used as a subterfuge by companies owned by Nigerians from other parts of the country to take jobs that ought to be for indigenes of oil bearing communities in the Niger Delta region.

    “This is oppressive and totally unacceptable. The IYC insists on community content within the local content in the oil and gas industry and we charge Eng. Wabote to handle this issue as one of his key assignments as Executive Secretary of the NCDMB.”

    Omare said the concept of local content was designed to address the marginalisation of the people from the region adding that community content should be the primary target of the board.

    He said: “The whole concept of local content was designed to partly address the marginalization of the people of the Niger Delta in the oil and gas industry; hence community content must occupy a pride of place in the affairs of the local content board.

    “We express our willingness to collaborate with Eng. Wabote to actualize his mandate in the local content board.”

    Also, some members of the APC, who had been clamouring for federal appointments, thanked Buhari for remembering the state.

    The APC loyalists in various social media platforms extolled the qualities of Wabote describing the appointment as a round peg in a round hole.

    They further praised the state APC leader and former Governor Timipre Sylva for making the appointment of Wabote possible.

    The joyful APC members appealed to the President to give the state more appointments.
  • Boroh to youths: join FG to develop Niger Delta

    Boroh to youths: join FG to develop Niger Delta

     

    The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs and Coordinator, Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig. Gen. Paul Boroh, (retd), on Friday, asked warring youths in the Niger Delta region to sheathe their swords and join the Federal Government to develop the region.

    Boroh further said that the amnesty office had changed focus from being a free-cash donor to an agent of development and agricultural revolution in the Niger Delta region.

    Boroh reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government to diversify the economy through agricultural revolution and stop over-dependence on oil.

    He lamented that over-dependence on oil-rich Niger Delta only succeeded in making Nigeria a mono-economy.

    He said oil has brought destruction of the ecosystem, poverty, starvation and resource-based conflicts in the region.

    Speaking after inspecting facilities at the Bio Resources Development Centre, Odi, Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, Boroh said that 500 ex-militants from the Niger Delta would be trained in various agro-related skills.

    According to him the amnesty office has changed focus and no longer a place to share free money.

    He urged the youths of the Niger Delta to embrace the new change and join hands with the government to make the Niger Delta, the agricultural hub of the nation.

    He said the ex-militants would be sent to Songhai Farms in Delta State and various agricultural programmes and departments of the Delta State University (DELSU), University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), and the Peremabiri Rice Farms in Bayelsa state.

    Boroh stressed that President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration was pursuing drastic diversification of the economy using agriculture as the best alternative.

    He said: “The shift from reliance on agriculture to over-reliance on oil income has had a tremendous impact on agriculture and the localities where crude petroleum is found and has become the harbinger of hunger, starvation, unemployment and ecosystem degradation and that is the bottom line of the resource-base conflict in the Niger Delta.

    “President Buhari has embarked on drastic diversification of the economy from oil and gas dependence and agriculture provides the nation the opportunity for growth, investment, wealth and job creation.

    “To successfully address the imperative of diversification, promotion of peace and development in the Niger and achieving Mr. President’s agenda on peace and development we are collaborating with various institutions within and outside the country to train our youths in various agricultural-related fields.”

    Presenting certificates to some graduating students of the center, the amnesty boss described the center as a blessing to the region and urged the people to take advantage of it.

    In his remarks, the Director of the Centre, Mr. Josiah Habu, said that it was an establishment of the Federal Government to provide scientific and technical knowledge to improve agricultural production in the country.

    Since its establishment in 2003, the Director, said the center has been rolling out key bio-enterprises and building capacity of entrepreneurs in agro-related business, human and financial management, information technology and many others.

  • Nwuche sues for peace in Niger Delta

    Nwuche sues for peace in Niger Delta

    Former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Chibudom Nwuche, Tuesday appealed for sustainable peace in the oil rich Niger Delta region in the interest of the country

    He also reassured the people of his resolve to continue to assist in the overall development of the Ekpeye kingdom, Rivers State.

    The former Deputy Speaker spoke in his Abuja office when a group of Ekpeye leaders led by Chief Gowon Okoko and Chief Hon Daniel Igbudu paid him a courtesy visit.

    Nwuche used the opportunity of the visit to appeal to the delegation to continue to prevail on Ekpeye youths to maintain the peace in the interest of the kingdom.

    He noted that though he is aware that “this democratic dispensation since 1999 has not been fair to Ekpeye people because they have not received any democratic dividends, the youths should not on account of the neglect and the obvious poverty in the area resort to criminality and begin to carry arms against themselves and the government.

    Resort to criminality, he said, would “inflict more suffering on the people who were already bearing the brunt of poverty.”

    He urged the people to join hands with the President Muhamadu Buhari administration, assuring that “he is hopeful something positive is going to come the way of Ekpeye people in this present administration and the people will hopefully be patronized and empowered.”

    He pointed out that “very often those that will meet us at the points of our need may not be our blood brothers most times, and may even be total strangers from other tribes”.

    He also used the opportunity to urge the federal government to come to the aid of Ekpeye people and empower them to secure the thousands of oil and gas pipelines criss-crossing Ekpeye land.

    Nwuche regretted the recent insecurity facing Ekpeye in which “over 500 innocent and law abiding citizens have been gruesomely murdered by assassins and cultist.”

    He also said that it is a shame that each time an armed robber, assassin or a kidnapper is arrested, Ekpeye people were always mentioned.

    The situation, he said, has continued to give Ekpeye people a bad name which is not good for the image of the tribe.

    He recalled that Ekpeye people are known for their peaceful disposition and urged the youths and the leaders to maintain this age long identity.

    Nwuche urged the people to work closely with the Ekpeye Monarch, His Royal Majesty Eze Robinson O. Robinson and his council of Chiefs as well as other Ekpeye leaders including security agencies in order to bring peace to Ekpeye land.

    He urged the delegation to work to prevail on the youths involved in one form of criminality or the other to lay down their arms in keeping with the appeal by Eze Robinson O. Robinson who has done a lot to bring peace in Ekpeye land and other well-meaning individuals.

    He noted that but for the efforts of His Majesty Eze Robinson O. Robinson, Ahoada and its environs would have witnessed unprecedented exodus and would have been a ghost town by now.

    The former Deputy Speaker urged the monarch not to be perturbed by the antics of the sponsors of criminal groups who are writing false petitions and accusations against him, but continue in his determination to restore peace in Ekpeye.

    He commended the leaders for their role in ensuring that Ekpeye youths do not engage in disrupting oil activities and blowing up pipelines like youths of other oil producing areas.

    He however urged government to focus on areas who have maintained peace and not only the ones causing problems in order not to be seen to be rewarding criminality and luring  other youths to also bear arms.

    He promised to draw the attention of the concerned oil companies and the relevant government and international agencies to the cases of oil spill that is already taking its toll on Ekpeye people to ensure that the affected spill areas are cleaned up and the environment restored to avoid further damage to human lives, the environment and the fauna and flora.

    The spokesman of the delegation, Chief Gowon Okoko told Nwuche that they were in office to commend him for the selfless and leadership role he has provided to Ekpeye people all these years which has brought about the relative level of development witnessed in the area.

    Chief Okoko also informed Nwuche that they brought him “greetings and goodwill from the Ekpeye monarch His Royal Majesty Eze (Flt Lieut) Robinson O. Robinson CON JP, Eze Ekpeye Logbo II of Ekpeye Kingdom and the entire members of the Ekpeye Council of traditional rulers and Chiefs.”

    The spokesman who drew the attention of the former Deputy Speaker to the poor state of infrastructure in Ekpeye Kingdom noted that the only time the people of the Kingdom witnessed federal government presence in terms of roads, electricity and water projects as enjoyed by Ekpeye people was through his efforts when he was in office as Deputy Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives.

    Chief Okoko told Nwuche that they were also in his office to also intimate him of the devastating oil spills that hit several Ekpeye Communities since July 2015 when crude oil spilled from pipeline belonging to Nigeria Agip Oil Company limited (NAOC) destroyed farmlands, ponds, aquatic lives, economic trees, fishing ponds and nets as well other sources of livelihood of the people of Owube community in Ahoada West LGA.

    He said another is a pipeline belonging to Total E&P Nigeria limited which affected Ekpeye communities of Ihuaba, Idoke, Ihuowo, Ihuama, Ogbele, Oshiugboko and Okoma 1 and 2 living along the Sombreiro river whose only source of drinking water, farms, ponds, fishing nets, aquatic lives etc of the communities were badly affected and that all efforts made by these communities to draw the attention of the oil companies have failed as the companies apart from not responding to clean up the spill, have refused to put any measure in place to come to the aid of the affected communities in terms of providing them relief materials and compensation for the inconveniences and losses suffered as a result of the oil spills.

    He urged Nwuche to intervene in the current predicament of the people of the affected communities whose health conditions are deteriorating daily due to the harmful effect of these spills which have remained so for over a year now without any attention by the companies.

    Also speaking, Chief Hon Dan Igbudu commended Prince Chibudom Nwuche for his tireless efforts and selfless service to reposition Ekpeye land for the better and towards restoration of peace in Ekpeye.

    He noted that Nwuche is seen as the beacon of hope for the people; hence the need to identify with him while calling on him to continue his good works for the Ekpeye people.

  • Military scraps JTF, replaces outfit with ODS

    Military scraps JTF, replaces outfit with ODS

    The Defence Headquarters has scrapped the Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Pulo Shield (OPS) in the Niger Delta region.

    The outfit according to a statement signed by the acting Director, Defence Information, Brig-Gen. Rabe Abubakar, has been replaced with Operation Delta Safe (ODS).

    This is the second time the outfit domiciled in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, will undergo reforms and change of name.

    The force which was formed before the Federal Government granted amnesty to ex-militants in the region was then known as Operation Restore Hope (ORS).

    But following the amnesty programme, it was reorganized with a new mandate to protect oil installations under a codename, Operation Pulo (oil) Shield (OPS).

    With the renew militancy and economic terrorism in the region by various militant groups led by the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), it was learnt that the Defence Headquarters reformed, refocused and renamed the outfit ODS.

    The statement by Abubakar said: “The OPERATION PULO SHIELD in Niger Delta has been scrapped with immediate effect and replaced with OPERATION DELTA SAFE.

    “This is in line with the Defence Headquarters initiative to restructure the Joint Task Force for better service delivery, efficiency and effectiveness in line with the vision and mission of the Chief of Defence Staff to contain the current security challenges in the Niger Delta especially protection of critical national assets and provision of security in the area.

    “Under this arrangement, the Joint Operational Areas of the new outfit have been delineated into 3 sectors and 5 Operational Bases covering the entire Niger Delta, Ondo and Akwa Ibom States.  The Headquarters of OPERATION DELTA SAFE would be in Yenagoa.

    “This development, according to Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin becomes expedient in order to inject new tactics and robust operational initiative to tackle the emerging security challenges in the Niger Delta region such as piracy, bunkering, vandalism and other criminalities prevalent in the area”.

     

  • Avengers: Ijaw youths accuse military of violating ceasefire 

    Avengers: Ijaw youths accuse military of violating ceasefire 

    Lament military invasion of Gbaramatu communities

    The umbrella body of Ijaw youths, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Worldwide, yesterday, accused the military of violating a ceasefire agreement between the Federal Government and the militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA).

    The IYC in a statement signed by its Spokesman, Mr. Eric Omare, said it was wrong for the military to invade some communities in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Delta State, at a time the government was planning to hold discussions with the Niger Delta region.

    Omare said the sudden presence of the military in the communities had raised doubts over the sincerity of the government to initiate peace in the region through dialogue.

    “The Federal Government cannot in one breath declare ceasefire and at the same time forcefully invade Ijaw communities in Gbaramatu Kingdom of Delta State allegedly looking for militants”, he said.

    He said in the early hours of Wednesday, the military stormed Tebujor community, a clan in Gbaramatu shooting sporadically into the air.

    He said the military operatives apprehended six youths from the community over allegations of pipeline vandalism.

    He identified the arrested youths as Eddy Ikpidi, Tekena Uka, Dboy Oboko, Jamaica Oboko, Coasta Kelly Tortor and Atani Yawuru.

    But Omare said: “While we do not support sabotage of oil facilities considering the negative effects on our environment, the IYC seriously frowns and condemns the continuous invasion and harassments of Ijaw communities and innocent people by the military under the guise of looking for pipeline vandals.

    “The military has no reason to embark on continuous invasion of Ijaw communities and arrest our people in the name of looking for Avengers or pipeline vandals. Our communities and people are peaceful and law abiding people.

    “The continuous invasion of Ijaw communities is a demonstration of lack of sincerity on the part of the federal government to genuinely dialogue with the people of the Niger Delta region to address the renewed militancy and issues affecting the region”.

    He noted that no meaningful dialogue could take place without sincerity of purpose and confidence in the process by the people of the region.

    “Events of the last few days are fast eroding our confidence. We call on the military to carry out deep intelligence gathering and stop the unlawful arrest and invasion of Ijaw communities. The arrested youths of Tebujor community, Gbaramatu Clan, Delta State should be released”, he said.

     

  • Fishermen lament hoodlums’ attacks in Rivers 

    Fishermen, Wednesday, raised the alarm over incessant raids, robberies and attacks on their fishing settlements located along the Bonny waterways, Bonny, Rivers State.

    It was gathered that the fishing camps comprise mainly Ilaje and Ijaw settlers who hail from different states in the Niger Delta region.

    The camps are identified by their names as Forupaka (Ago-Eri), Mumakiri (Ajegunle/Bayelsa) and Iwokiri fishing communities.

    One of the fishermen from Bayelsa a state who spoke in confidence said attacks on people living in the camps had become a daily occurrence adding that their lives were in danger.

    He further identified the hoodlums as a gang of criminals involved in sea piracy and armed robbery camped close to Oyorokoto.

    He said: “They are a gang of gun-wielding criminals involved in sea piracy, armed robbery and killings camped near Oyorokoto from where they terrorize the communities in Bonny territories.

    “About a month ago they killed a young Ilaje fisherman in cold blood without provocation. It has become their daily routine to extort money from the mainly Ilaje and Ijaw settlers

    “Twice in less than two months they have sacked these communities forcing the people to flee to other fishing settlements in Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa states”.

    He said the gang was being led by one Felix, who said personally stormed the camps on June 8, ransacking the settlements and injuring fishermen.

    “When they came on June 8, they chased people upon down and many people abandoned their camps and ran into the forest. They almost killed one of the youths.

    “The government should quickly deploy the security to arrest this mad gang before they waste more lives,” he said.

  • Abdulsalam to Niger Delta Avengers: Embrace dialogue

    Abdulsalam to Niger Delta Avengers: Embrace dialogue

    Former Head of State, General Abubakar Abdulsalam has stated that the continuous attacks on oil installations by the Niger Delta Avengers is uncalled for urging them to ‎embrace dialogue with the Federal Government as a means of finding a lasting solution to the current crisis rocking the Niger Delta region.

    Abdulsalam said the attacks have done more harm than good because the people in the Niger Delta region is suffering more from the effect adding that they would be the biggest loser at the end of the day as much harm is done to land and aquatic lives of the region.

    He said that the activities of the militants will also possibly lead to drop in the funding of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

    Abdulsalam made the call Tuesday when the leadership of the Niger State House of Assembly paid him a courtesy visit at his Uphill Residence in Minna to felicitate‎ with him on the occasion of his 74th birthday.

    “The avengers are now out, what are they avenging and they are destroying our country and if they do not realize it, it is their land that would be affected most.

    “They are doing more damage to their area as they will not have land to farm and will not be able to go fishing as well and even the 13 percent derivation from the FG would be affected.

    “So, I do hope they will see reason and give peace a chance, because even if you fight a war and win, you must come and still sit down with people you conquered.”

    The former military ruler called on Nigerians to intensify prayers for the unity and prosperity of the nation, adding that the country was in a critical condition.

    “We need to intensify prayers for God to save us, because we are in a critical condition; oil production is at its lowest.

    “So I am begging everyone, in the spirit of Ramadan, whatever religion you any one is following, let us give peace a chance.”

    He also tasked members of the state Assembly on passing laws and resolutions that would impact positively on the citizens.

    In his remarks, the Speaker of the Niger Assembly, Hon. Ahmed Marafa said they had visited the former military leader to felicitate with him on his 74th birthday.

    Marafa prayed God to grant him more wisdom, stressing that the state and the nation at large had benefited greatly from his wise counsel over the years.

  • FG, states collaborate to end Niger Delta crisis

    FG, states collaborate to end Niger Delta crisis

    The Federal Government and states in the Niger Delta region on Tuesday agreed to work together to ensure peace and end the bombings of oil and power installations in the region.

    This was part of the decisions reached at a closed door meeting involving the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, service chiefs and states from the Niger Delta region.

    Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting in the Presidential Villa, Delta Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa and Edo Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, said that the collaboration will also include intelligence sharing.

    Stressing that the meeting was very fruitful, he said that a lot of other decisions that will mitigate the crisis in the states particularly, Bayelsa and Delta, were also agreed upon.

    One of the decisions, he said, was deployment of military operations in waterways around troubled communities.

    He said: “We governors of the oil producing states, security chiefs and ministers who are concerned met with the Vice President and I believe we had a very fruitful meeting.

    “One thing we identified which is the synergy between the Federal Government and the States which is very important and this meeting has raised a lot of issues and we believe that the collaboration will help us to tackle the issues in the Niger Delta.

    “Of course we were briefed by the service chiefs and the governors also have their own perspectives along with the minister of state petroleum. We have taken a lot of decisions which will help us mitigate what is going on currently in the states particularly Bayelsa and Delta,” he said.

    The governor added: “We believe we are going to find solution to it. One of such is that there is a need for us to share intelligence which is very important and for us to be proactive, working together with the various stakeholders in the states to achieve a better result going forward.

    “We have also agreed that there is a need to distill military operations directly in communities, but the military need to actually remain on our waterways to ensure that we adequately man the waterways itself while we engage the communities and that engagement process is starting any moment from now,” he stated

    When asked to give a date the amnesty programme will be revisited as a way out of the crisis, the Governor said that the programme was never stopped.

    He said: “I think the process is still ongoing, we have a Special Adviser in charge of amnesty and it is doing very well. I am aware that he did come in to talk with some of the communities and along with the advocacy team that was put up in Delta state.  He did brief us today and I believe it is going to be maintained.”

    On when the implementation of the meeting’s outcomes will start, he said: “Right from today, there is a meeting right after this and we are going to be collaborating even as we return to our various states.”

    On his part, Oshiomhole said: “You have been briefed by my brother from Delta and whatever he told you that is the truth of it. We agreed that we all have to work together to refocus on development issues, economic issues, military issues and community issues. Whatever he has told you there, that is what we have agreed to do.

    While stating that the amnesty programme has been on, he noted that a time lag could have resulted from the little transition of having a new leadership.

    Stressing that there have been stories about non-payment concerning the programme, he said that the problems are being addressed while funds are being provided.

    He said: “I believe the government recognizes that the amnesty programme has to be sustained but also we can improve on it because we have trained people.

    “People have been sent for training and they have come back and they should be able to apply those skills. If they don’t apply the skills they become skilled but then unemployed, then the problem persists.

    “We need multiple tools to deal with the issues. Fortunately for the people to be able to apply the skills that they acquired in the course of the amnesty training, they need an environment that is investment friendly because unless for example if you have skills in underwater welding, you need the oil companies to be doing business to recruit people like that to carry out those kinds of special skill.

    “If you have skill in all sorts of things without economic activity, you cannot deploy your skills. One thing leads to the other. In the first instance the man has no skill, the first challenge is to give him skill.
    That is being done and when he has finished and acquired that skill the final challenge is to get him a place to work to earn money and to develop a lifestyle that is sustainable to add and contribute to the development of his community and the rest of our people they need to see the quality of life improving.

    “What Okowa said was the correct representation of what transpired at the meeting.
    Nigeria is not at war and we cannot be at war with ourselves.

    “If we have conflicts, we will talk through those conflicts. There are laws that have to be enforced. I think that in all of these the whole idea is to find peace that is functional, that creates environment for very decent Nigerians to live their lives.” He added

    Other state governors at the meeting included Bayelsa, Rivers, Ondo and Abia.

    Also at the meeting were the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu and the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Uguru.

  • Kumuyi calls for dialogue to end crisis in Niger Delta

    Kumuyi calls for dialogue to end crisis in Niger Delta

    Pastor William Kumuyi, General Superintendent of Deeper Life Bible Church, has advocated for dialogue to resolve the crisis in the Niger Delta region.

    He made the call on Monday while speaking with newsmen in Warri.

    The clergyman, who visited Warri for a one-day programme tagged, “Following a Life Transforming Example,” said the situation in the volatile oil rich region should not be a “win-win affairs.’’

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme was organised by the Deeper Life Bible Church at the Warri township stadium.

    Kumuyi said: “the solution to the crisis in the Niger Delta is dialogue.

    “Stakeholders should reason together and see a way forward instead of accusing each other.

    “What we are interested in is how to solve the problem; what are the expectations of both sides so that we can move forward,’’ he said.

    Kumuyi said that the administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari, had not done badly, adding that one year in office was not enough to evaluate the success of any government.

    “President Buhari has another three years in office; sometimes it depends on somebody’s approach, so let us not build the evaluation on his one year in office,’’ he said.

    He said that the general comment that the nation’s economy was sliding was borne out of the high expectations of the people to see their country move from its present position.

    “Nigerians believe we could have achieved something better than where we are presently as a country,” he said.

    The clergyman however said he was hopeful that with prayers and perseverance, things would improve in the shortest period.

    “I do hope we are not going to remain in our present position; we want to move forward as a nation and that is what people are saying.

    “I join our people to say the economy is sliding, but I know that our country is going to move forward from where we are now with prayers and with us being responsible,’’ he said.

  • Pipeline vandalism: Osinbajo meets security chiefs, others

    Pipeline vandalism: Osinbajo meets security chiefs, others

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Monday night held a closed door meeting with some stakeholders over the current attacks on pipelines in the Niger Delta region.

    He first met with some security chiefs including Navy and Army and the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, and some other government officials.

    The Vice President later met separately with Bayelsa State Governor, Sariake Dickson; and the Amayanabo of Toun Brass, Bayelsa State, King Alfred Diete-Spiff.

    Osinbajo, in the company of Dickson and Diete-Spiff, also met with representatives of some oil companies including Shell, Total, AGIP, NLNG and Chevron.

    The meeting with the oil chiefs was still in progress at the time of filing this report.