The Coordinator, Concernned Niger Delta Leaders, Chief Mike Loyibo, has condemned the destruction of pipelines and other critical national assets by the militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers.
The foremost rights activist, who made the condemnation in an interview on Saturday, said the the militants were, by their destructive activities, sabotaging the sincere efforts by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to bring speedy growth and development to the region. He accused the militants of criminality against the country, the region and humanity in general.
He expressed dismay at the senseless and aimless manner in which the militants had been destroying the people’s common heritage and the economic mainstay of the country. He warned of the far-reaching negative implications for such nefarious activities on the environment, social life and economic fortunes of the region if the destructions were not stopped. Loyibo said the the activities of the militant group were also threatening the non-negotiable unity of the nation to its foundation, reiterating that their activities must be roundly condemned by all well-meaning stakeholders.
He noted, “The danger of vandalism as being perpetrated by the militants is that from 2.2 million oil production, the production capacity of the country has been critically brought down to slightly above a million barrels per day.
“And it will be less than that if the blowing of pipelines continues. The danger of blowing pipelines is that there will be no salary, there will be unemployment and the region cannot develop. “In an atmosphere of crisis, it’s not possible to have sustainable growth and development.
I am hereby using this medium to call on persons behind the dastardly acts to have a rethink. “Nigeria’s unity is non-negotiable and I believe that for the region to go forward, whatever issues bothering any person or group of persons should be channelled through the constituted authorities so that they can pass it to the government.
“You don’t use violence every time to get attention; so bombing of pipelines is a crime against the state, a crime against all the Niger Delta people because you will be polluting the area.
” On way of resolving the crises in the region, Loyibo advocated dialogue, insisting that military option would exacerbate the problems.
He called on the Federal Government to develop the region by bringing infrastructural development such as building of bridges, schools, hospitals and other amenities, saying that it was high time the maritime universities in the region started to function.
He also urged the government to increase funding for the Presidential Amnesty Programme, the Niger Delta Development Commission as well as ensuring justice and equity in the region. The activist also took a swipe on some Niger Delta leaders, blaming the crisis in the region on years of poor leadership and mismanagement of resources allocated to the region.
He alleged that over the years, leaders from the region misappropriated and squandered huge revenues that accrued to the region from federal resources and different interventionist agencies.
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