FROM IKHILI EBALU, BENIN CITY
Group known as Benin Solidarity Movement, BSM, has urged the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, to establish a special task force comprising host community members and security agencies.
In a statement, its President, Elder Curtis Ugbo and the General Secretary, Ms Esohe Adun argued that host community members, familiar with the environment, should be involved in protecting oil facilities. They criticized the practice of awarding contracts to non-indigenes, calling it unfair.
The group urged government and NNPCL to involve resource owners in protecting their resources, citing Edo State as an example where a non-indigene is tasked with protection instead of local community members.
“Our concern is that if the issue is not given fair treatment in record time, it may snowball into a fiery bush fire that may become too cumbersome to handle.
“Again, in Edo State, how can a man from Delta State who has no knowledge of the communities be in charge of pipeline surveillance? Are Tompolo and his co-travellers telling us that their Itsekiri brother knows our communities and state more than us?”
The group urged the federal government and NNPCL to look into this matter before it gets out of hand, as they will lead a massive protest to NPDC Benin to shut down operations until their demands are met by NNPCL and the federal government.”
According to them, “members of Benin Solidarity Movement worldwide are concerned over the recent brickbrat between the northern and southern regions on the award of security surveillance contract worth billions of naira to ex-Niger Delta militant leader, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo) by NNPCL.”
They urged northern youths to tread with caution. Southern Nigeria, especially the Niger Delta has been marginalised over the years.
“To be fair to all concerned, Benin Solidarity Movement Worldwide calls for a change in the deal. Our suggestion is that a Special Task Force be set up made up essentially of people from the host communities who should work hand in hand with security operatives.
Members of this special task force should be entitled to stipends to take care of their logistics and wellbeing.
The group advised Tompolo to reject the contract as it was not given to him in good faith. It was given to him to cause confusion within the Niger Delta region and even beyond.
