N’Delta Crisis: Omo-Agege Appeals to Militants to Stop Bombing Oil Facilities

• As Olu of Warri dissociates Itsekiri from stakeholders’ meetings

IyobosaUwugiarenin Abujaand Sylvester IdowuinWarri

Senator OvieOmo-Agege, the Obarisi of Urhoboland, has appealed to militants in the Niger Delta region to stop further attacks on the nation’s oil and gas assets everywhere, especially in Urhoboland forthwith, saying violence hardly solves human problems in sustainable ways.

The Senator representing Delta Central in the National Assembly, yesterday appealed to the Urhobo militant group, Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate (NDGJM) to cease bombing oil facilities in Urhoboland.

He recalled that no matter the tensions or provocations, the Urhobo Nation has always found ways to guarantee the peaceful environment necessary for a stable operation of the oil and gas industry in Urhoboland.

The Senator made the appeal just as the Olu of Warri, OgiameIkenwoli, has distanced his throne and his subjects from participation in the recent coastal stakeholders and traditional rulers’ meetings towards finding a lasting solution to the Niger Delta crisis.

The monarch said neither himself nor the Itsekiri people mandated any representative to recent meetings held in the name of Niger Delta stakeholders and traditional rulers.

Senator Omo-Agege, in a release he personally signed and made available to THISDAY pledged to take up their grievances to President MuhammaduBuhari.

The lawmaker, who was reacting to the recent alleged bombing of a major oil delivery line operated by the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) at Ogor-Oteri in Urhoboland, said he was disturbed by the development in his Senatorial district.

“As reported, persons under the aegis of the Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate (NDGJM) have claimed responsibility for the attack. From the reports, NDGJM is displeased with recent negotiations with the Federal Government through Ijaw Nation leader Chief Edwin Clark and has threatened more attacks.

“The assumption is that the NDGJM is of Urhobo origin since the attack and threatened attacks are within the Urhobo Nation”, he added.

He said further: “No matter the tensions or provocations, the Urhobo Nation has always found ways to guarantee the peaceful environment necessary for a stable operation of the oil and gas industry in Urhoboland.
“The true strengths of our vibrant youths are best measured by their non-violent resolution of the most difficult challenges confronting our people. That has to continue; not violence”, he added.

To maintain Urhobo peaceful nature and achieve desired results, the lawmaker assured the Urhobo militant group and other aggrieved youths that he would channel their concerns to the President.

“Where it is absolutely necessary that we work with our neighbours and friends from other ethnic nationalities, we will do so in the spirit of oneness and mutual cooperation. But be assured that your voices will be heard clearly and concerns respectfully attended to”, he added.