Pipeline Protection: NDCV Cautions Federal Govt Over Award Of Contract To Non-indigenous Security Outfits

FASHINA SHAKIRU 

The Niger Delta Coastline Vanguard (NDCV) has on Thursday cautioned the Federal Government for awarding contract for pipeline protection to a non-indigenous security company while denying the same privilege to the EEL Security company, the Ilaje indigenous security outfit, for the job.

 

Akogun Omotuwa Job, National President, stated this is a statement he signed on Thursday and made available to Newsmen by his National Secretary, Chief Ajiroba Lucky.

 

It is therefore, shocking to read that the Ondo State Command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps( NSCDC) had a meeting with a non-indigenous security outfit, Gallery Security Services, contracted by the government to secure our region’s Ondo Waterways.

 

The National President, NDCV, said “We will not allow the plans by the Nigerian National Petroleum Cooperation Limited (NNPCL) to re-award the pipeline surveillance contracts to some ex-militant leaders in the Niger Delta region to carry out security monitoring of pipeline vandals because these people and security companies did not represent the Ilaje people in the South West; they cannot represent us in this region”.

 

He noted that Gallery Security Services and High Chief Bibopere Ajube, the Beleukoriowei, are not from Ilaje South-west, and he cannot represent the region or speak for the region; he should be in his own territory, not Ilaje territory.

 

“All the oil wells in Ondo State are in Ilaje, in the South-west region. Because of this, the Niger Delta Coastline Vanguard is supporting the EEL Security Company to be in charge of IIaje, the longest coaster line,” said Akogun Omotuwa Job.

 

“Meanwhile, the NDCV is already cooperating with all the security agencies to stop all the illegal oil activities in the region. The group is supporting the EEL Security Company and can as well partner with the Federal Government to secure the South-West region of the waterway to be in charge of the South West, from Ondo State to Lagos Water Way. We want Ilaje, Yoruba, and the south-west to reflect very well because all the oil wells in Ondo State are in their territory, not Ijaw territory.”

 

“We are calling for the review of the existing policy on the decentralization of the new surveillance project to accommodate leaders of ex-militants in Ondo, Ogun, and Lagos State to avoid an imminent crisis in the region.”

 

According to the National President, “The Niger Delta Coastline Vanguard (NDCV) is in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State and is a group of ex-militants who, under the Presidential Amnesty Programme, submitted weapons and were granted pardoned in 2017 with a promise to be properly integrated into the Federal Government Amnesty Programme with all accrued benefits.

“We established a forest camp in Ilaje Local Government Areas of Ondo State. The Ilaje covers the entire 120-kilometer coastline and 80% of the waterways in the state.”

The group, in a statement yesterday, copied the Federal Government, through the Office of the National Security Adviser, General Manager, Nigerian National Petroluem Cooperation Limited, Director of State Service, and Inspector General of Police, to be aware of the serious implication the neglect of this agitation could cause to the region.

“More so, when the contract is awarded to people who are not too familiar with the region, they add that everything is taken from our environment through pipelines and still deny us the opportunity to maintain those pipelines.”

 

“On this note, we demand the following for peace to reign in the region:

i.Decentralization of the pipeline surveillance contract to accommodate NDCV to cover the Ondo, Ogun, and Lagos State littoral corridors.

ii.That NDCV has the capacity, the required intelligence, and human resources to collaborate with the Federal Government in the surveillance of pipelines and anti-bunkering activities in the area.

iii.That NDCV is familiar with the terrain for effective and efficient output.

iv.That we shall not allow or accept any deliberate attempt by the government or an agent of the government to impose someone from another region who does not belong to our ethnic nationality on us to sustain the existing peace in the region.

 

“We call on Mr. President to intervene in this and stop this disrespect to our region (the South West).”

 

“We are also very comfortable with the tremendous peace being enjoyed at the moment, and we want it to continue.”