Page 7 - Nigeria one mag 4 edition en

Diri and INC Intervene in Pipeline Surveillance Feud

Pipelines, illustrative image

In recent weeks, the award of the pipeline surveillance contracts by the Federal Government has resulted in
serious uproars in the Niger Delta Region as several ex-militants have expressed frustration following the award
of such an enormous contract to one individual region. To make matters worse, the ex-militants had issued
threats to anyone seen to secure the oil pipelines in their region and that such would be dealt with decisively.
The threat of war in the region, which has experienced many years of peace and tranquility, was one that could
not be taken lightly, as elder statements in the region do not want bloodshed in the regions that may result from
clashes over the pipeline surveillance contracts. The elders are sure that a bloodbath in the region is likely to
threaten the existing peace and the economic activity in the region which can indeed cause untold suffering; as
lives and property of innocent Nigerians in the surroundings would be destroyed if the crisis occurred.
To forestall the crisis, the governor of Bayelsa state, Senator Douye Diri, alongside other prominent Ijaw elders
under the auspices of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) decided to intervene in the dispute among Government
Ekpemupolo, Chief Asari Dukubo and Ateke Tom, over the contract that was awarded by the Nigerian National
Petroleum Company (NNPC) to Government Ekpemupolo.
The meeting had in attendance critical stakeholders of the INC alongside other prominent ethnic nationalities in
the region who have intentionally come together with the aim of resolving the feud, to ensure that there is peace,
stability and economic prosperity in the region.
Senator Diri, while speaking at the meeting suggested that the meeting examined a host of issues that had the
possibility of threatening the peace and unity of the Ijaw nation as a result of the recent award of the pipeline
surveillance contract to Government Ekpemupolo’s firm. After extensive discussion among the group, the
governor was pleased to announce that all the warring parties had agreed to sheath their swords.
He said, “I am happy that the issue has been put behind us. Beyond building consensus, all hands must be on
deck to protect the oil pipelines.” “Today, we have seen the end of the matter. Before now, there was a deafening
silence in the INC. But today, that voice is resonating and I thank all Ijaw leaders that took it upon themselves to
ensure that the Ijaws do not fight themselves. “Tompolo and Asari are brothers. We have all come to a consensus
to protect all federal presence, especially oil pipelines in the Niger Delta, as we sue for peace to attract
development.”

Nigeria 7