By Austin Ogwuda
Barely 48 hours after a call was made by a pressure group asking the Federal Government to revoke the oil pipelines surveillance contracts awarded to a company owned by the Olu of Warri, another group has countered it, warning that revoking the contracts will spark crisis.
The group which styled itself, Niger Delta Radical Mandate stated this in a press statement obtained by The Townhall.
The statement signed by its National Co-ordinator, Comrade Imalah Ugoachanum; Comrade Ndubuisi Chukwuebuka (Rivers State Coordinator), Comrade Happy Promise (Delta State Coordinator), and Comrade Tutu Meric (National Secretary) in Abuja, Wednesday stated that “the call by a faceless group calling for the termination of the oil pipelines surveillance contracts awarded to the Pipelines Infrastructures Nigeria Limited (PINL) by NNPCL is baseless and unfounded. The faceless group is sponsored by blackmailers and enemies of the region.
“Currently, there is relative peace in the region as a result of the progressive arrangement between the NNPCL, PINL and the Nigerian Navy, and any calls for a breach of this arrangement could lead to unrest in the Niger Delta Region.
“We as a group will not fold our arms and watch a faceless group not only truncate the peace in our region, also but denigrate a revered monarch such as the Olu of Warri.
“We therefore, pass a vote of confidence on PINL for their holistic sense of duty and urge them not to relent in their service to the Niger Delta region.
“As you know, the Niger Delta is very volatile area. Our people have been marginalized for too long, and now that our people are having a semblance of peace, growth and development, these mischief makers and blackmailers are trying to tear their ugly heads.
“The Niger Delta Radical Mandate is committed to peace and tranquility in the region and we urge every agent of mischief to steer clear of the Niger Delta region”, the statement added.
A pan Nigeria group, National Awareness Forum had earlier asked the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to speedily terminate the oil pipelines surveillance contracts awarded to the Pipelines Infrastructures Nigeria Limited (PINL) owned by the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse 111.
The group, in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday signed by its President, Alhaji Abdul-Azeez Abdullahi and Publicity Secretary, Mr. Ikechukwu Ngozi, lamented that the scenes of the 112 illicit oil deals were under the surveillance of PINL.