A former Special Adviser on Security to former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and ex-agitators leader, Aroni Oputu, has called on the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to decentralize the current pipeline surveillance contract in the oil-rich Niger Delta region.
Oputu, who led other former agitators in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State, demanded that protection of oil facilities including pipelines in Warri North should be awarded their share of the contract in the interest of peace and inclusivity.
He noted that Egbema people would no longer sit and continue to live like slaves in their fatherland while an individual collects the entire block of pipeline surveillance contract from the federal government.
Addressing journalists on behalf of the ex-agitators after meeting held in Egbema kingdom, the immediate past Special Adviser to former Governor Okowa on Security and ex-agitators’ leader, Aroni Oputu declared that they will no longer tolerate the injustice being meted on them in Warri North local government area.
The ex-agitators said; “We have written an open letter to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria through the Chief of Staff and copied the Senate President, National Security Adviser, Inspector general of police, Director of State Security Services and Chief of Defence Staff.
“We are the phase one ex-agitators who embraced the Presidential Amnesty programme. We have been neglected and excluded in the award of pipeline security surveillance contract in our area by the NNPCL. We have complained severally and drawn the attention of NNPC to this serious neglect of our youths and ex-agitators from Warri North but the Mele Kyari led NNPCL and his counterpart Mohammed Zarah, has kept deaf ears despite our complaints. The leadership of NNPCL and NPDC has continuously excluded Warri North in the award of pipeline security surveillance Contract.
“We have been going round the state maintaining peace in the creeks and waterways but we have never been carried along in the pipeline security contract right from the time Capt. Hosa to this percent day, no percentage has been given to Warri North to handle. And now, another pipeline security contract is about to be awarded so we demand our own percentage. We want out own percent of the contract to control.
“We have so many oil fields in Egbema kingdom of Warri North local government, yet nothing to show for it, rather we are living like slaves. We have the Igbetu-Okun field, Opuekeba field, Alero field, OML49 with over 20 wellheads operated by Chevron, Dibi field, Opuama flowstation, OML40 with over 20 wellheads operated by NPDC/ECLREST, Conoil OML103 drilling work ongoing in Warri North and others”.
“We are not slaves and the Federal government should know that me and my group are not happy and we have been patient over the years since we embraced the Federal government Amnesty. But this time around we will not take it likely. That is why we are crying out to the federal government especially the NNPCL who is in charge of the surveillance contract renewal to look keenly into this issue and give us our percentage in our area to secure. They should recognize us and do the needful to sustain the existing peace in the Niger Delta region.”
“We hereby call on NNPC for the umpteenth time to give us directly our pipeline security surveillance and maintenance contract as we will no longer tolerate injustice being meted on the people of Egbema in Warri North local government area. We have been patient enough. Long Live Federal Republic of Nigeria and Delta State.”
