Meanwhile, an Ijaw leader in Delta State, Chief Godspower Gbenekama, yesterday, faulted the arrest of five Ijaw and Itsekiri surveillance workers by the military on Friday, in connection with the bombing of Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL, pipeline at Makaraba community, Gbaramatu clan, Warri South-West Local Government Area, saying.......
they are not militants. He gave the names of the two Itsekiri workers of a CNL contractor working in the area as Samuel Emiko and Alfred Timedi, and the three Ijaw workers as Isaac Edinde, Henry Arogboritse and Kelvin Mordi (Ijaw), saying they were on surveillance patrol when the soldiers picked them up. He said: “The so-called Avengers arrested by the military are not militants but Chevron workers who were working under a Chevron Pipeline and Facility Surveillance Programme. They are both Ijaw and Itsekiri surveillance workers in the Utunama Flow Station axis.
“The Itsekiri and Ijaw Regional Development Councils under the platform of CNL, know about their engagement and the soldiers, who arrested them, saw their identity cards and other things. They know they are not militants,” he added. Also, the people of Kunukunuma community and Gbaramatu Political Forum, GPF, in Delta State, yesterday, warned those who have disagreement with former militant leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, to refrain from stirring the Federal Government against Gbaramatu Kingdom over the recent destruction of pipelines by Niger Delta Avengers. The group handed down the warning, just as ex-militant leader from Rivers state, Chief Ateke Tom, berated the Niger Delta Avengers for its resort to militancy and destruction of oil installations in Delta State in particular and other parts of the Niger Delta region.
Similarly, Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, worldwide, has blamed what it described as “the combative and insensitive posture” of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government to issues affecting the Niger Delta for the renewed hostilities in the region. President of IYC, Mr Udengs Eradiri, who addressed newsmen, yesterday, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, to commemorate this year’s Isaac Boro Day celebration, lamented that issues that gave rise to Boro’s agitation, such as marginalisation and underdevelopment among others, were yet to be addressed. Also, National President of Ijaw People Development Initiative, IPDI, Austin Ozobo, yesterday, said former President Goodluck Jonathan did not set up the Niger Delta Avengers to destabilize the Buhari government as alleged recently by an ex-militant leader and national coordinator of National Coalition of Niger Delta Ex-Agitators, Israel Akpodoro. Ozobo, who berated Akpodoro in a statement, however, urged President Buhari to address an alleged marginalisation of the region and end the attacks by the aggrieved Avengers. He said: “Jonathan never set up any Avengers to fight for him. Before the elections, Jonathan always said his ambition was not worth the blood of innocent Nigerians. Jonathan even congratulated Buhari before the final announcement of the presidential election results.” Otuaro woos Delta monarchs Meanwhile, Deputy Governor of Delta State and Chairman, Delta State Advocacy Committee against Oil Facility Vandalism, Mr Kingsley Otuaro, has urged monarchs in the riverine areas of the state to use their privileged position to assist the state government with intelligence to stop militants from further vandalizing oil and gas facilities. He spoke when he led the committee on a visit to the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Ikenwoli and Agadagba of Egbema Kingdom, at their palaces in Warri and Ogbudugbudu, Warri South and Warri North Local Government Areas, respectively. Otuaro told the Warri monarch that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, worried by the spate of oil facility vandalism in the state, directed him to ask the royal fathers to assist government to apprehend the perpetrators. “As a nation and as a state, we are already in deep economic crisis by virtue of the fall in oil prices in the world market. Any further attacks on oil facility will worsen our already bad situation,” he said. In his reaction, the Olu of Warri said: “I will send my chiefs to all nooks and crannies to help resolve the problem. The fact that the governor had to send you, his deputy, to the creeks, shows that the thing is touching.” The Olu recalled that first, it was Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, and now, the Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, whose activities have crippled the economy and hampering government capacity to deliver projects to the people. “What are they avenging? Vengeance belongs to God. Man’s vengeance is limited. The spate of vandalism is giving the state a bad name,” he added. Delta bans movement of speedboats in 6 LGs Also, to rein in Niger Delta Avengers, Delta State Government has banned the movement of speedboats and vessels in six riverine local government areas of the state between the hours of 10p.m. and 5a.m The affected councils are Warri North, Warri South, Warri South-West, Patani, Bomadi and Burutu. Meanwhile, a youth activist in Delta State, Mr Jackson Timiyan, has urged the JTF to stop arresting innocent residents of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South West council, and go for the real members of Niger Delta Avengers involved in wanton destruction of oil installations in the creeks of the state. The activist, who is a former Secretary, Kokodiagbene community, said those arrested by JTF include Gbaramatu indigenes engaged by Chevron in lawful duty as Pipeline and Facilities Surveillance Programme, PSFP, workers, now under the Ijaw and Itsekiri Regional Development Council, RDC, respectively for over a decade now. “Those affected, Alfred Timadi (current Youth Employment Chairman, Kokodiagbene), Samuel Emiko (immediate past Assistant Secretary) and Isaac Edende (Kokodiagbene) as well as Kelvin Mordi and Henry Arogboritse from Omadino community, are responsible young men committed to their lawful jobs without any criminal record,” he said.
source-Vanguard
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