How to End Niger-Delta Violence - IYC
From Omon-Julius Onabu in Warri, 06.21.2008
As the nation again witnessed the disruption of its oil export quota following Thursday’s militant attack on the offshore Bonga Oil-fields facility, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) has said that the Federal Government is capable of putting an end to the regional crisis.
IYC Secretary-General, Comrade Eradirir Udengs, who made this known in an interview with THISDAY, however ruled out achieving the desired enduring peace in the Niger-Delta through the use of the federal might or military force.
“The spate of violence, including militant attacks on oil facilities and hostage-taking, would rapidly subside if the the federal government summons the needed will-power and sincerity of purpose in addressing the urgent development issues of the region,” he said.
“Perpetuation of injustice through military harassment and systematic elimination of the people of oil-producing communities who have been marginalised in every way imaginable will not solve the problem”, he added.
Udengs said though Niger-Deltans were a peace-loving people, the adamant position of the federal government had made them unable to do anything about the situation, which could get worse.
“There are sore points in the Niger-Delta question that the people are aggrieved about, particularly in the oil producing communities. But instead of addressing these issues, they are visiting more inhumanity and injustice against the people.
“Let me say what is happening in the Niger-Delta now is beyond the control of anybody. And the Bonga attack may be minor because of the federal government’s insincerity in handling the issues,” Udengs said.
He the Niger-Delta people were being provoked by “the detention and secret trial of Henry Okah (MEND leader), burning of Ijaw communities by soldiers who claim they are harbouring militants (and) shortchanging of oil producing communities by the government withholding the 13% derivation funds meant for development in oil-producing areas.”
Thursday morning attack on the Bonga oil-field some 120 kilometers off the coast of Bayelsa State has prompted Anglo-Dutch oil giant, Sell, to halt production activities in the facility.
Officials said that the development has led to about 200,000 barrels of crude per day (bpd) or approximately 10 per cent of Nigeria ’s current daily crude export being shut-in.
