Chairman of Niger Delta Nationalities Forum and member of Ijaw Elders’
Forum, Mr. Seigha Manija, in this piece, proffers solution to the activities
of the new militant group in the Niger Delta, the Niger Delta Avengers, NDA.
A new group in the Niger Delta has been blowing up oil pipelines and
facilities for some weeks now. What do you think is responsible for this
latest spate of bombings?
Firstly, I can only speculate what could be responsible for the present
spate of bombings in the Niger Delta. In any case I want you to know that
this spate of bombing stopped since 2009 when the late President Umaru
Yar’ Adua declared the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) for the
Niger Delta. I remember that the Niger Delta was boiling when Obasanjo
took over in May 29, 1999. But just after his assumption of office, his first
official trip outside Abuja was to the Niger Delta. By the first week of June
1999, he was already in Port Harcourt through Warri where he dialogued
with the youths of Niger Delta. Within weeks of his assumption of office,
the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) bill was sent to the
National Assembly. Even the government of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida did
not waste much time in converting the 1.5 percent derivation fund to three
percent in his time. Yar’ Adua in his early hours even created the Niger
Delta Ministry.
All these happened in those regimes because they reasoned on time that
the Niger Delta and its oil are strategic to the nation’s economy. This
government is about a year old, and if there is anything I can recall in
respect to the Niger Delta, it is the reduction of budgetary allocation to
PAP from N60billion to N20billion in this 2016 budget. The near omission
of the Lagos-Calabar rail project and the announcement by the minister of
transport that the Maritime University in the riverine Niger Delta has been
cancelled are not too good signals, you may say. It is in the light of the
above I think the new group called Avengers is simply behaving or
reacting like the two-year-old baby, whose parents have just given birth
to a new baby called North East Development Commission.
Avengers’ questions
Everybody including the
World Bank, European
Union, UNDP and AU
among others is
pledging one thing or
the other towards
nursing of the new
baby, giving the
impression that the
older baby has been
weaned. The older child
- Niger Delta, is asking
if it is still relevant to
the household and in
the process breaking
glasses, cups and pots.
A good parent must respond positively and adjust quickly too. The Niger
Delta Avengers may be asking a rhetorical question on whether and
because the government is diversifying into agriculture and solid minerals
or because the price of oil has plummeted, the Niger Delta, its oil and the
people, especially the youth are no longer relevant? The government sees
NDA as criminals just as many commentators do. But, NDA also sees this
government as wicked and undermining the Niger Delta region. I think the
President has some quick fix jobs to do in this direction.
What should the President do?
One, President Buhari should convene a Niger Delta youth summit to use
the platform to assuage their fears. He should take same opportunity to
pay former President Goodluck Jonathan a courtesy visit just to say thank
you for respecting the wishes of the majority of voters at the 2015
presidential election. These two steps will go a long way in the first place.
Again, President Buhari must and should decide whether to collapse all the
interventionist agencies in the Niger Delta region into one institution and
fund it appropriately or fund all of them properly and insist that they all
function rightly. For example, the NDDC and the Niger Delta Ministry have
no business building hostels for existing universities in Port Harcourt,
Benin, Calabar, or Asaba; neither should the East West road be the sole
responsibility of the ministry. In any case, some of these projects are
already variously captured in their respective local, state and federal
governments’ budgets. Rather, the East West road should go to the federal
ministry of works. NDDC and Niger Delta ministry have no business
providing dust bins and electric poles in urban centres such as PH,
Calabari, Benin etc. These agencies must be made to purely concentrate
on the development of rural and riverine oil producing communities. This
way, the youths in these areas can now benefit directly. The rural and the
riverine communities are not benefitting enough from these agencies like
the city centres. The President should take a guided helicopter trip
through the riverine communities and see for himself.
On proliferation of interventionist agencies
On the other hand, these agencies are poorly funded. Yet, people from
other regions are baffled with the proliferation of interventionist agencies in
the Niger Delta. For example, I hear that in 2016 budget, the allocations to
NDDC is N41billion, Niger Delta ministry has N19billion while the Amnesty
programme got N20billion, totaling N80billion only. If this is true, it is very
poor and it is undermining the importance of Niger Delta region. For
example, a loss of 800,000 barrels of crude per day (bpd) as claimed by
the Petroleum Minister, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, amounts to 800,000 bpd
multiplied by $50 per day. This gives us $40 million per day. Against
N300 per dollar, it amounts to N12billion per day. When you take in this
for a month, you will have N360billion. It is now left for one to imagine the
paltry sum given to these agencies for the development of all the nine oil
producing states in a year.
To appreciate what I am saying, the Lagos state government has just
announced a budgetary allocation of N844 billion for the building of the
fourth Mainland Bridge, spanning 35 kilometres between Victoria Island
and Epe, yet the Federal Government is giving less than N100 billion to the
interventionist agencies to cater for nine oil producing states of the Niger
Delta. It is worrisome to imagine that a paltry sum of N20billion only was
allocated to PAP in 2016 budget where over 15,000 youths already
captured in the programme are yet to be trained; unfortunately some
Nigerians are calling for an immediate end to the programme.
Do you think Niger Delta is presently said to be heavily militarized as being
claimed?
It is bad for one reason and good for another. It is bad in the sense that
the more the military come, the more the resolve of the youth or some
criminals, who feel challenged to do their worst as a test of their capacity
and knowledge of the environment. It is also good in the sense that it
affords Nigerians from other region the opportunity to begin to appreciate
the plight and challenges of the Niger Delta region. A case in point was
when I gave a ride to a serving JTF officer from Kebbi State, from Warri to
Lagos some years ago. As we discussed along through our journey, he
swore that what is happening in the Niger Delta can never be tolerated by
either the Hausa or the Yoruba for one day.
According to him, before he was posted to the Niger Delta, he was always
angry with the Niger Delta youth because of the ‘criminal activities.’ He
confessed that his first and second trips to the creeks in Rivers and
Bayelsa states afforded him the opportunity to feel and see the pathetic
situation in the region. He concluded that the youth were not even
showing enough anger. I was happy with him for being forthright.
However, when he was alighting at Ojota in Lagos, he said to me, “Oga, as
soldiers we have to do our job.” The essence of my story is to show that
many, who may have been compelled to occupy the Niger Delta in the line
of duty, will become willing ambassadors of the region someday just as
the young military officer did in my story.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/06/jonathan-crucial-resolving-renewed-n-delta-militancy/

I know the " likes button " starving will flood this thread now to be shouting their hero in corruption.

Well, Plus GEJ minus GEJ, Niger Delta terrorist will be defeated.

Yea.

Did Buhari resolve Boko Haram? Why do you expect GEJ to resolve militancy when Buhari couldn't resolve Boko Haram terrorism even though he was appointed by Boko Haram to negotiate on their behalf?

Until we move away from oil, crooks would always use our dependence on it as leverage/tool to blackmail us into doing their bidding. An "ex-militant" once told the world that a meeting was held at the instance of Jonathan and a decision was taken as per what course of action to take in an even he loses at the polls. He lost and they initiated their plans.

If this report is anything to go by, the thief would definitely come with his demands which is likely to include letting Okpolo Eyes
, Madam Headress, Dasuki, and FFK off the hook. The shitstorm that would come from taking such a decision would be one heavier than the presidency can handle.

This is just too darn bad.

hmmmm

tayebest:
GEJ really know more about this NDA. I don't know why he hasn't yet talk about them or give them a chill pill.



After now, someone will call him Hero/Patriot--------------My-ass

When BH appointed or nominated Buhari as their middle man did he accept or what did u say? pls guy leave Jonathan and solve your goddam problem, U won election the first thing u did was to call them 5% and thereafter you cut down the amnesty funding from N60b to a paltry N20b

Buhari must beg, we don't need his courtesy call to Jonathan. He has to apologise publicly for terming us 5%.

Sure!

omenka:
Until we move away from oil, crooks would always use our dependence on it as leverage/tool to blackmail us into doing their bidding. An "ex-militant" once told the world that a meeting was held at the instance of Jonathan and a decision was taken as per what course of action to take in an even he loses at the polls. He lost and they initiated their plans.

If this report is anything to go by, the thief would definitely come with his demands which is likely to include letting Okpolo Eyes
, Madam Headress, Dasuki, and FFK off the hook. The shitstorm that would come from taking such a decision would be one heavier than the presidency can handle.

This is just too darn bad.

When people on this forum throw pots and pans at you, I always felt you were being unjustly treated but with these asinine and obtuse comment, it is clear you were being served with a just recompense of reward. Maybe you were there during the said meeting where Jonathan told them to start blowing up pipelines

Make i dey watch 4rm 3D
millitary zone keep off

QuotaSystem:


I thought you all pretended you were "Proudly 5%" just a few months ago... . Nigerians didn't realize you guys were so hurt and pained

You overly emotional folks need a chill pill.

See your ugly girl friend, look at fine girl

Degis:


When people on this forum throw pots and pans at you, I always felt you were being unjustly treated but with these asinine and obtuse comment, it is clear you were being served with a just recompense of reward. Maybe you were there during the said meeting where Jonathan told them to start blowing up pipelines

Lolz. People don learn how to ignore that guy. So even reading is post doesn't worth it whenever u see that name.

omenka:
Until we move away from oil, crooks would always use our dependence on it as leverage/tool to blackmail us into doing their bidding. An "ex-militant" once told the world that a meeting was held at the instance of Jonathan and a decision was taken as per what course of action to take in an even he loses at the polls. He lost and they initiated their plans.

If this report is anything to go by, the thief would definitely come with his demands which is likely to include letting Okpolo Eyes
, Madam Headress, Dasuki, and FFK off the hook. The shitstorm that would come from taking such a decision would be one heavier than the presidency can handle.

This is just too darn bad.

Gerrarahere.

Tinubutoto:
Buhari must beg, we don't need his courtesy call to Jonathan. He has to apologise publicly for terming us 5%.

The scavengers should think of assassination instead.. The highlighted will never happen, maybe govt will revisit amnesty programme or make political concession but beg? That won't happen.

If u believe that Jonathan is responsible for the bombings then u reason from ur an*s

omenka:
Until we move away from oil, crooks would always use our dependence on it as leverage/tool to blackmail us into doing their bidding. An "ex-militant" once told the world that a meeting was held at the instance of Jonathan and a decision was taken as per what course of action to take in an even he loses at the polls. He lost and they initiated their plans.

If this report is anything to go by, the thief would definitely come with his demands which is likely to include letting Okpolo Eyes
, Madam Headress, Dasuki, and FFK off the hook. The shitstorm that would come from taking such a decision would be one heavier than the presidency can handle.

This is just too darn bad.

Ass licking zombies are made never to have peace of mind in this world as long as Goodluck Jonathan lives and shines as the best president so far .

modath:


The scavengers should think of assassination instead.. The highlighted will never happen, maybe govt will revisit amnesty programme or make political concession but beg? That won't happen.

no be only beg.....security info is indicting Gej's boys as being responsible for the pipeline crimes and the heat was being turn on when he rushed back to Nigeria and straight to Aso rock to meet with PMB ,while Osinbajo heads for Ogoni, to 'find' solution to the sabotatage n thereby saved his neck from the punishments at home and abroad for being the patron of these hoodlums.....beg kor, begi ni..

omenka:
Until we move away from oil, crooks would always use our dependence on it as leverage/tool to blackmail us into doing their bidding. An "ex-militant" once told the world that a meeting was held at the instance of Jonathan and a decision was taken as per what course of action to take in an even he loses at the polls. He lost and they initiated their plans.

If this report is anything to go by, the thief would definitely come with his demands which is likely to include letting Okpolo Eyes
, Madam Headress, Dasuki, and FFK off the hook. The shitstorm that would come from taking such a decision would be one heavier than the presidency can handle.

This is just too darn bad.

off the hook? Omenka pls it will never happen....not in this lifetime!

tayebest:
GEJ really know more about this NDA. I don't know why he hasn't yet talk about them or give them a chill pill.



After now, someone will call him Hero/Patriot--------------My-ass

Yet the clueless one is the one needed presently, isn't it an irony

Babacele:
no be only beg.....security info is indicting Gej's boys as being responsible for the pipeline crimes and the heat was being turn on when he rushed back to Nigeria and straight to Aso rock to meet with PMB ,while Osinbajo heads for Ogoni, to 'find' solution to the sabotatage n thereby saved his neck from the punishments at home and abroad for being the patron of these hoodlums.....beg kor, begi ni..

There are security reports stating PMB was Boko Haram sympathiser when the terrorist group nominated him as their representative for dialogue with the then GEJ govt in 2013.

asuustrike2009:

Yet the clueless one is the one needed presently, isn't it an irony

The rejected stone has become the ''Corner Stone''. Noticed the praises PMB showered on GEJ lately for accepting defeat even before collation of results was completed in the last general elections It was obvious PMB needed the services of GEJ badly to solve the Niger Delta crisis.

But personally, I doubt if GEJ will be able to do much to cool nerves in the Niger Delta.
The only solution to Niger Delta and Nigeria at large is ''Restructuring'' by way of Confederacy or True Fiscal Federalism.

jakiedudu:
There are security reports stating PMB was Boko Haram sympathiser when the terrorist group nominated him as their representative for dialogue with the then GEJ govt in 2013.

my education tells me that those who had sponsored several lies against PMB including assassination attempts were responsible for that so called' nomination' in order to paint him black so that the public won't vote him for. But did it work ,mister? No sir .Those who stole money meant to fight Boko haram eg Dasuki ,FFK, Metuh n co, as well as their supporter e.g Igbos, are the real patrons of boko haram.......we ain't stewpid.

Babacele:
my education tells me that those who had sponsored several lies against PMB including assassination attempts were responsible for that so called' nomination' in order to paint him black so that the public won't vote him for. But did it work ,mister? No sir .Those who stole money meant to fight Boko haram eg Dasuki ,FFK, Metuh n co, as well as their supporter e.g Igbos, are the real patrons of boko haram.......we ain't stewpid.

If I'am to follow your logic, then I can as well say the so called security report linking GEJ to NDA are sponsored lies to damage his image.

Mr Manija's advice is the needed panacea for resolving the Niger Delta crisis. The government needs to seek more advice from men like Manija and set up an advisory body with him on the team.
He really gave an interesting overview of what could have led to the recent upsurge in militancy in the Niger Delta which portrays him as a man with a profound understanding of the crisis.

There are times in the life of a nation when political differences collapse in the interest of the nation. One of such times is now. Hate him or like him, Jonathan has a role to play in seeking an end to a crisis that has held the nation by the jugular.

tayebest:
GEJ really know more about this NDA. I don't know why he hasn't yet talk about them or give them a chill pill.



After now, someone will call him Hero/Patriot--------------My-ass

Please... When Jonathan was the president, during the insurgency what did Buhari do? Stop been obsessed about Jonathan, face your vote squarely.

jakiedudu:
If I'am to follow your logic, then I can as well say the so called security report linking GEJ to NDA are sponsored lies to damage his image.

maybe you don't understand what a security report is. It is a serious document :an outcome of an unbiased work submitted by security agents to the state. It is different from propaganda which was being sponsored by rogues in government. How do you think Dasuki,FFK, Allison n co are being nailed?It is based on the security reports of how they moved money from point A to B at time T. Nobody has indicted GEJ yet but his boys e. g. Tompolo n co are being linked to this bombings. Many other militants are corroborating this story.
Let me give you another example. Many of you believe Buhari actually said ' I would make the government ungovernable' but when the propaganda was just too much, Abati and the presidency were sued by PMB . Gej ,the presidency and the Guardian newspaper which Abati used to spread the falsehood all apologised to PMB when it was exposed that it was PDP that made that statement n same PDP sponsored the 2011 post elections violence which they tried hard to pin on PMB .....I know you are not aware but it s d truth......you may Google it: Presidency begs Buhari on Libel suit against Abati .
So how can I trust people who lie, sabotage the military, steal the country blind, connive with the so called Fulani herdsmen and mis-educate youths like you to shout ' Fulani herdsmen'?

Babacele:
maybe you don't understand what a security report is. It is a serious document :an outcome of an unbiased work submitted by security agents to the state. It is different from propaganda which was being sponsored by rogues in government. How do you think Dasuki,FFK, Allison n co are being nailed?It is based on the security reports of how they moved money from point A to B at time T. Nobody has indicted GEJ yet but his boys e. g. Tompolo n co are being linked to this bombings. Many other militants are corroborating this story.
Let me give you another example. Many of you believe Buhari actually said ' I would make the government ungovernable' but when the propaganda was just too much, Abati and the presidency were sued by PMB . Gej ,the presidency and the Guardian newspaper which Abati used to spread the falsehood all apologised to PMB when it was exposed that it was PDP that made that statement n same PDP sponsored the 2011 post elections violence which they tried hard to pin on PMB .....I know you are not aware but it s d truth......you may Google it: Presidency begs Buhari on Libel suit against Abati .
So how can I trust people who lie, sabotage the military, steal the country blind, connive with the so called Fulani herdsmen and mis-educate youths like you to shout ' Fulani herdsmen'?

Your statement claiming fulani herdsmen killing as propaganda is enough for me to give up arguing with you.