Ex-agitators drawn from the Egbema axis of Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State have demanded a percentage of the pipeline surveillance contract from the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

Speaking on behalf of the ex-militants after a “secret meeting,” self-styled General Aroni Oputu, a former special adviser to former governor Ifeanyi Okowa, said they had had enough of the injustice being meted on them in the LGA.

He said: “We have written an open letter to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria through the Chief of Staff and copied the Senate President, National Security Adviser, Inspector general of police, Director of State Security Services and Chief of Defence Staff.

“We are the phase one ex-agitators who embraced the Presidential Amnesty Programme. We have been neglected and excluded from the award of a pipeline security surveillance contract in our area by the NNPC.

“We have complained severally and drawn the attention of NNPC to this serious neglect of our youths and ex-agitators from Warri North, but the Mele Kyari led-NNPC and his counterpart Mohammed Zarah, have kept deaf ears despite our complaints.

“The leadership of NNPC and NPDC have continuously excluded Warri North in the award of pipeline security surveillance contract.

“We have been going round the state maintaining peace in the creeks and waterways, but we have never been carried along in the pipeline security contract right from the time of Capt. Hosa to this present day.

“No percentage has been given to Warri North to handle. And now, another pipeline security contract is about to be awarded, so we demand our own percentage. We want our own percent of the contract to control”.

He listed the various oil assets in the Egbema kingdom including “the Igbetu-Okun field, Opuekeba Field, Alero field, OML 49 with over 20 wellheads operated by Chevron; Dibi field, Opuama flow station, OML 40 with over 20 wellheads operated by NPDC/ECLREST and Conoil OML 103 drilling work ongoing among others.

Expressing sadness over their purported neglect, the ex-agitators stated that while they have been patient over the years since the laying down of arms, “this time around we will not take it likely”.

The former militants stressed: “That is why we are crying out to the federal government especially the NNPC which is in charge of the surveillance contract renewal to look keenly into this issue and give us our percentage in our area to secure. They should recognize us and do the needful to sustain the existing peace in the Niger Delta region.” (The Nation)

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