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Tag: A'Ibom militants

  • A’Ibom ex-militants want pipeline contract to Olu of Warri revoked

    A’Ibom ex-militants want pipeline contract to Olu of Warri revoked

    Ex-militants from Akwa Ibom have said that the Federal Government erred in awarding pipeline surveillance contract in the state to Pipelines Infrastructure Limited, a company owned by the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse Ogiame Atuwatse III.

    Under the aegis of Unyekisong Akwa Ibom, the ex-agitators asked the FG to revoke within one month the contract awarded the Warri monarch and re-award same to them.

    A press statement obtained by newsmen yesterday in Uyo and signed by ‘Genenal’ Dede Udofia for Unyekisong Akwa Ibom, Major  Ibanga Ekang, Special Operations and Strike Team Leader, Gen. Ukpe Sampson, Niger Delta Strike Force and others, the ex-militants said they were being undermined by the FG.

    They said pipeline surveillance contract should be given to ex-militants from the state just like it was awarded to a former militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo from Delta State.

     “The Unyekisong Akwa Ibom at the general meeting held on Sunday 18:09:2022 hereby issued a one-month ultimatum to the Federal Government to immediately terminate the oil and gas pipelines surveillance contract awarded to Pipelines Infrastructure Limited and re-award same to Ex-militant leader in Akwa Ibom State.

    “We totally condemn the award of such contract to a traditional ruler who has no business in the creeks; an oil pipeline surveillance contract is not something that should be given to a traditional ruler or political associate as compensation as its effective management would directly impact on the nation’s economy. 

    “The award of oil pipelines surveillance contract to Tompolo is well deserve as an Ex-agitator, we therefore demand that Akwa Ibom State part be awarded to ex-militants leader who is an indigene of Akwa Ibom State who would be able to work with all the stakeholders, youth groups and all agitating groups in the state. 

    The statement further said, “we view the current award of Akwa Ibom oil and gas pipelines surveillance contract to a none indigene of the state as an affront on our people and tantamount to drumbeat of war in Akwa Ibom State. Akwa Ibom people have been trampled upon by the Nigerian government for so long despite the huge contributions to the nation’s economy but when it comes to sharing, we will be neglected and marginalized because we choose to be peaceful. 

    “Our state is the highest in oil production but has been subdued to ill treatment by the federal government and oil companies. The most shocking and provoking thing to do is for the NNPC to award Oil & Gas Pipelines Surveillance Contract in Akwa Ibom State to Pipelines Infrastructure Limited, a company owned by a indigene at the net sum of N138.7 billion naira annually. This is totally unacceptable and must be terminated with immediate effect.

    “We regret to state here that the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and the Leadership of NNPC Limited has been doing everything possible to frustrate Akwa ibom people at the detriment of the communities. It is not only Delta and Bayelsa that are the oil producing states, if surveillance contract has been given to Tompolo an indigene of Delta State, then Akwa Ibom portion should be given to an indigene of Akwa Ibom State in the interest of justice, equity and fairness”

  • A’Ibom militants want sack of PAP’s interim administrator over neglect

    A’Ibom militants want sack of PAP’s interim administrator over neglect

    Militants in Akwa Ibom have demanded the immediate sack of the interim administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Col. Milland Dixion Dikio(Rtd) and his replacement with a substantive special adviser/coordinator.

    They also asked for the removal of the supervisory and oversight powers of the programme from the Office of the National Security Adviser and total restructuring of the PAP to enable it fulfill its statutory mandate.

    The agitators under the aegis of Unyek Isong, the Supreme Council for Akwa Ibom militants, accused the PAP interim administrator, Col. Dikio of neglecting their welfare and excluding them from activities of the programme.

    In a statement signed by ‘General’ Dede Udofia and ‘Major’ Ibanga Ekeng and made available to correspondents in Uyo on Monday, the agitators said that they have been marginalized and excluded from meetings, trainings and empowerment packages of the PAP.

    ”Despite the several millions of naira spent annually by the Amnesty Office on the welfare of Niger Delta ex-agitators, ex-,militants of Akwa Ibom origin who are participants of the Amnesty programme have been neglected, discriminated against, marginalized and completely left out of the major activities of the programme, including trainings and empowerment.

    ”They are also consistently excluded from meetings and important events that require the participation of ex-militants from the region. Funds so appropriated are derived from the nation’s revenue of which Akwa Ibom is the highest contributor.

    ”Since the present government came into power, successive administrations of the Amnesty Programme under the supervision of the National Security Adviser have the the Amnesty Programme to their personal investment project leaving some of the ex-militants particularly those from our state neglected and marginalized.

    ”We have observed the continued exclusion of these affected ex-militants from local and overseas training programmes, stoppage of monthly stipends of over 100 ex-militants from Akwa Ibom state since 2010 and eventual removal of their names from the Amnesty payroll without any cogent reason.” The statement said.

    According to them, the PAP was structured and administered to favour their colleagues in Rivers, Bayelsa and Ondo States while the rest from other states are treated as second class ex militants.

    They threatened to ‘react’ if the federal government fails to accede to their demands.