Pipeline Surveillance Contract To Tompolo: It’s An Insensitive Move –Rights Activist

By Daniel Dafe

A  Niger Delta activist in Delta State, Comr.(Amb) Derrick Oritsematosan Agberen has said that handling a pipeline surveillance contract to Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo (Tompolo) by the Federal Government is insensitive.

This was contained in a statement signed by him on Friday.

According to him, “the insensitive move by Federal Government of Nigeria to award pipeline security contracts to individuals (non-state actors) might spike another wave of insecurity in the rich oil Niger Delta region.

He said that “while this method might have worked in the past, it is very dangerous in recent times owing to the current wave of unprecedented insecurity sweeping the whole country.”

He continued: “I ask, of what use are the navy men, civil defense, police and other coercive apparatuses of the state if they cannot protect her oil pipelines? If they lack adequate personnel, why can’t their staffs be expanded?

“It is a pity that the Nigerian government cannot secure their mineral resources, and now relies on an individual or Is he more powerful than the Nigerian government?

“If the Federal Government wanted the operations of pipelines surveillance to have been civil, why not get everybody involved rather than a single individual? The contract should have been fractured amongst communities and creeks in the riverine areas, that way, it will be so much easier to task and do the work and everyone will also have a sense of entitlement. This is because every ethnic group in Niger Delta would want to defend the pipelines that passes through their territory; more are coming.

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“I see another set of terror brewing…because this government lacks the ideas to solving very critical issues and I wonder if it is a deliberate act by the Federal Government to cause crisis in the region.”

He noted that “there are numerous militant groups in the Niger Delta,” adding: “Asari Dokubo and host of others will ask questions through other means; why the Government singled out a particular individual to guide a pipeline in the entire Niger Delta region and not recognizing them… I think this is a ploy to cause division among the ex-militants, Niger Deltans, as well as fueling crisis in a region that has long enjoyed peace. Even the Northerners, that does not have any trace of crude oil in their communities are protesting and are unsettled by the actions of the government.”

“I expected Niger Deltans to protest for parts of the wealth that comes from her region to be used for total development of the Niger Delta region, to arable land, a non polluted environment, good schools and youth employment especially her graduates, build industries where the State and Federal has failed, and other forms of empowerment but we have chose to carry guns sheepishly, following militant leaders. Niger Delta youths are the worst, laziest sets of youth in Nigeria…..Her leaders are our enemies if we must know… Imagine people that owns the wealth of the country suffering…We should not fight to protect what we own and ignorantly give back to strangers while we are given peanuts. It should be used to develop the whole of Niger Delta regions if the government meant well for us…and not accorded to a single individual or a group,” he said.

He warned Niger Deltans not to fall into these traps.

“I fear for what is coming; Niger Deltans should have been wiser than these,” he said.