NIGERIANS in the Diaspora have urged Britain to commit President Umaru Yar’Adua’s government to implement the Master Plan for Niger Delta, as the ultimate roadmap to peace and stability in the oil-rich region, with a clear timetable.
They also advised the British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, not to involve Britain in turning the Niger Delta into another Iraq or Afghanistan “because that is only what British military support for Nigeria would basically achieve.”
This is contained in a petition submitted at No. 10 Downing Street, the official residence of the British Prime Minister and the Nigerian High Commission in London by Nigerians under the aegis of the Ijaw Peoples Association (IPA).
Nigerians from various ethnic nationalities such as Urhobo, Yoruba, Akwa Ibomites, Isoko and Ogoni participated in the protest, which started at about 10am yesterday from the Trafalgar Square.
The protesters proceeded to the centre of power in London where a protest letter for President Yar’Adua was handed over to the High Commissioner, Dr. Dalhatu Tafida, for onward transmission to Nigeria.
The IPA President, Mr. Roland Ekperi and Chairman, Ijaw National Congress (INC) (Europe), Dr. Felix Tuodolo, were at the head of the protest.
They said they did not want Mr. Brown or the good people of Britain to be misled by the Nigerian government, which, they claim, wants to portray the people of the Niger Delta as lawless.
The petitioners stated that the lawlessness in the Niger Delta could not be devolved from the political corruption endemic in the country.
“Billions of the oil money from the region have been mismanaged or secretly embezzled by the political class at the expense of the people. The Transparency International annual reports and the prosecution of some Nigerian politicians in British courts testify to this,” it said.
The protesters said if Britain wanted to offer assistance to Nigeria, it could start with putting pressure on the Nigerian Government to right the injustices perpetuated against the Niger Delta.
And if it wanted to stop oil theft, it could come to an agreement with Nigeria to police the territorial waters of the country and stop all vessels coming and leaving the waters “if the Nigerian Navy is incapable of doing so.”
They noted that Britain would soon discover that top former and current senior government officials are the main people associated with stolen crude oil and not the people of the Niger Delta.
The petitioners held that strengthening security in the volatile region was not the answer to the problem.
“We would like to reiterate that oil production and supply cannot be guaranteed by strengthening the security forces in the Niger Delta. It will only encourage the Nigerian security forces to brutalise the Niger Delta people.
“The Nigerian Security forces did so in Ogoniland, Odi, Odioma etc. The solution to the Niger Delta problems lies with the Federal Government of Nigeria and not Britain,” they said.
They noted that the Nigerian Government (Executive and Legislative arms) must have the political will to address the grievances of the people of the Niger Delta.
They explained that it is the people of the Niger Delta that can protect the oil wells and guarantee the continuous supply of oil to the world market.
“The strategic interest of Britain is better served by aligning with the people of Niger Delta people within the framework of a restructured Federal Republic of Nigeria,” they said.
“Therefore, we appeal to you to persuade the Nigerian Government to do the right thing for the people of the Niger Delta. The people of the region have suffered in silence for over 50 years.
“Every successive government in Nigeria during this period treated the Niger Delta and its people as ‘spoils of war.’ The people are now saying enough of this oppression and slavery.”
They insisted that the people of the Niger Delta “are not criminals or a lawless bunch. We are very peace and tolerant.”
“Niger Deltans will always choose life so that they and their children may live. But the Nigerian Government has mistaken this great virtue of peaceful co-existence as weakness.”