His Excellency Eshanekpe Israel a.k.a. Akpodoro, Mayor of Urhoboland and notable ex-military leader, has criticized the reported threats and damage to pipelines in Urhobo and Isokolands recently. He stated that such actions should be condemned by all well-meaning citizens of the country, particularly Niger Deltans.
In a telephone conversation with our correspondent on Wednesday in Lagos, he made this statement, arguing that aggrieved individuals should, rather than resorting to violence, open correspondence with the government through trusted channels of communication rather than destroying national patrimony in the region.
The former warlord stated that the “Niger Delta needs peace and development rather than violent confrontation with the government.”
A gathering, Delta Strike Power, DSF, had supposedly guaranteed liability regarding harms done to a piece of Kokori pipelines at Erhaike and another in Ozoro both in Ethiope East and Isoko North Nearby Government Areas of Delta State separately, pivoting their reasons on a pipeline reconnaissance agreement of OML 30 and 34 granted to a Congressperson, who just missed out of the state gubernatorial challenge in the fair closed Free Public Electing Commission, INEC coordinated general decisions.
It was alleged that the militia group imposed the following conditions on the FG in order to resolve the violence attacks: that the contractor in charge of the surveillance be terminated and the contract given to their leaders; that the East-West Road ought to be fixed for commuters in the region; that the state immediately stop flaring gas.
Different circumstances for Harmony, as per the gathering, incorporate the initiation of the Delta Take Organization, DSC and same be brought into the standard creation area of the Nigeria economy; the immediate participation of all youths in the conflict with the Niger Delta Avengers, or NDA.
“Violence is not a solution, but a peaceful approach in a healthy engagement with the authority,” Akpodoro argued. “In as much as the group has good cause.”
Notwithstanding, the City hall leader faulted the FG for what he portrayed as its unfortunate prize framework and lazy way to deal with the goal of complaints by the residents.
He noted with dismay why the public authority disregarded a few calls from prominent quarters to disparage the people who stood out their necks to battle the Justice fighters, making sense of that, during the furnished struggle in 2016 drove by the Vindicators, ex-fomenters like him were guaranteed by the public authority through security Bosses that the aggressors would be settled after their triumphs in the rivers against the Justice fighters.
He added, “After the Avengers were defeated, efforts to make the FG to fulfill its promises failed.” He also said that he foresaw the current conflict and raised his concern by calling on the government to do the right thing, but he regretted that his calls haven’t been answered.
He added, “Additionally, the contract awarded, ordinarily should have been given to ex-militants.” He said that the former warlords in the troubled areas should have had “the right of first refusal” rather than giving it to people who are politically exposed.
Akpodoro maintained that, “as a noble personality and peace builder in the region,” he had called the authorities as soon as the politician was awarded the contract to inform them of possible reactions to the pipeline contract. He said that those in government had rejected his calls, which he described as “the tradition of the officials of Buhari’s administration.”
“I approached Timipre Sylva, the Minister of State for Petroleum; the GCEO NNPCL; Director of Management at the Nigeria Petroleum Development Company, or NPDC; the Director of Military Intelligence; DSS D.O. Joseph, Urhobo traditional rulers, the former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Sultan of Sokoko, and the MD of Tantita Security Services, Chief Kestin Pondi, all attempted to persuade the authority to rectify the errors that led to the award of the pipeline contract, but they were unsuccessful.
“It is absolutely necessary to inform the world at this time that I will not intervene in the ongoing crisis as before due to this government’s poor attitude toward rewarding loyalty. The current administration lacks respect for the people, so it ought to continue negotiations with them to achieve peace in the Niger Delta.
“We shouted that the people should be considered in the actions of the government they will not hear, and residents are once again at the receiving end of the actions of the government and the militia. The Mayor said, “Those I mentioned earlier should be held responsible if this violent confrontation persists,” urging the FG to negotiate with the militia group before it escalates.