SAN FRANCISCO, June 16, (THEWILL) – Netherlands based Nigerian environmental right activist, Comrade Sunny Ofehe, has declared that the act of militancy in the Niger Delta region only represents the interest of a few element in the region seek government recognition through militancy to the detriment of the core problems of the region.
Ofehe stated this in a statement made available to THEWILL on Thursday, saying that despite the fact that militancy had been the tool used to raise awareness on the plight of the Niger Delta region, the menace have never benefited the ordinary suffering people of the region.
“This act of militancy represents the interest of very few elements whose identities are still unknown as all that the people of the region want is a government that can deliver on policies that will eradicate poverty and provide daily necessities for everyone,” he said.
According to him, the scars of the military offensive on some communities in the region, like Odi in River State which was almost wiped out by the Obasanjo administration, as well as the invasion of Gbaramatu Kingdom, during the late President Yar’Adua government, were still fresh in the minds of the locals.
He said that although, the Niger Delta region needed massive infrastructural development and policies that would create jobs for the youths, resorting to violent agitation was unnecessary as event of the past show that it only brought more sorrow, pains and tribulation to the region.
Ofehe therefore urged the suspected militant groups reportedly carrying out attacks on oil installations in the region to embrace the olive branch offered by the Federal Government saying however that the current militants cannot claim to be standing for the core issues of the region.
He maintained however that there is still a chance for a pragmatic approach if the militants stop further attacks and engage the government meaningfully rather than confront the government in a violent way.
He lamented that the region despite being the mainstay of the Nigerian economy, still lack basic necessities such as health care services, electricity and clean water adding that the people of the region are anxious to know how the Buhari administration would tackle the protracted environmental and human rights problems of the region.
While commending President Buhari for kick-starting the implementation of the UNEP Report on Ogoni land, Ofehe urged multinational oil companies to double their efforts in meeting the yearnings of the communities of the region as well as remediate the environment where they operates.
Story by Joe Ogbodu
