AMIDST the continued military action in the Niger Delta, Presidency sources said yesterday in Abuja that they have found documents that link some politicians with the activities of militants in the Niger Delta. The claim came on a day that the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) said one of its hostages has refused to be released, opting instead to join the group in its agitation for a better deal for the region.
And in London, there were protests by Nigerians still over the Niger Delta while in the United States Ijaw leaders gathered to brainstorm on the plight of their people and how to stop the ongoing military action.
The said documents were said to have been found in the camp of alleged militant leader, Government Tompolo, by the Joint Task Force (JTF) operating in the oil rich Delta area.
Other documents allegedly recovered include “minutes of meetings held, and details of bunkering money paid to prominent chiefs and politicians.”
The sources added that the “Names and address of foreign contacts and documents of arms purchase and names of Nigerian middle men” were found.
Others are:
Dates and details of attacks on oil facilities and who was responsible and the insiders within the oil companies.
Names of countries and details of how stolen crude oil is disposed and how some of the proceeds were shared as well as the local beneficiaries.
Details of meetings held between militants and politicians and minutes of what transpired.
Several bank accounts in which ‘protection money’ was paid to the militants by top government officials in Niger Delta.
Attempts to acquire gun-ships, bombs, rocket-launchers from an East European country.
In London, anti-Federal Government songs and slogans rent the air for over three hours yesterday afternoon, as protesters numbering more than 30 petitioned the British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, asking him to intervene in the ongoing assault in the Niger Delta. Operating under the umbrella of the Niger Delta Solidarity Campaign, the group also petitioned the Federal Government, through the Nigerian High Commissioner at the Court of St. James, Dr Dalhatu Tafida.
Carrying placards with messages like: “Nigeria, end the massacre in Niger Delta,’ Shell Drills Blood in Niger Delta, Nigeria Massacres its citizens and the world looks on,” the protesters stationed themselves opposite Downing Street, for more than two hours and chanted solidarity songs, urging the Federal government to withdraw the Joint Task Force (JTF) and stop military action. While some chanted ‘No more killings,’ ‘No more wars,’ others chorused ; ‘No more killings,’ ‘No more blood’ and ‘Leave us alone.’ After almost two hours of demonstration, the leaders of the campaign, Inemo Samiama and Isaac Namabiri, were escorted across the road to the office of Brown at 10, Downing Street, where they delivered the petition at 2pm.
About 10 minutes later, the group proceeded to the Nigerian High Commission at 9, Northumberland Avenue, chanting the same slogans and displaying placards, as passers-by looked on. A few minutes after arriving at the High Commission, a representative of Tafida came outside and received the petition from Samiama and one of the demonstrators.
The Guardian later asked Samiama to comment on criminals being allowed to hijack the genuine struggle of the Niger Delta people. His response was: “There are genuine militants and there are those who are using the struggle for business. But at the same time, you cannot because of a few criminal elements go and raze entire villages and bomb entire towns because of the crimes of a few people. Every country has its Police and military and what they should have done is to go and fish out the culprits and bring them to justice. And when we talk of criminals, there are big criminals and small criminals and most Nigerians know who these big criminals are.”
He argued that it is the big criminals who are behind the small ones, otherwise, they wouldn’t have had the finances to buy the military equipment used for their illicit activities and war.
“A poor Niger Delta criminal will not have the money to buy those big oil tankers… so they’re merely obeying their masters, who act behind the scenes. It’s the big politicians and ex-military generals who are behind the bunkering,” he said. Asked if his organization knows any of the godfathers, Samiama replied, “I am not going to mention names, but we are Nigerians and we all know those who are behind these big entities.”
Also at the weekend, leaders of the Ijaw nation, the fourth largest Nigerian ethnic group, gathered in the US to review state of the group.
One of the Ijaw leaders from Nigeria Chief O. B Lulu-Briggs commenting specifically on the recent military action in Gbaramatu Kingdom in Delta State lamented that “the bell tolls for all of us in Ijaw Land.”
Briggs was not alone at the meeting in New Jersey which held from Saturday till Sunday afternoon when the 2009 Isaac Boro Day and the 12th annual convention of the Ijaw National Alliance of the Americas (INAA), was held. There was also the first Military Governor of Old Rivers State, now a traditional ruler, HRH Alfred Diette Spiff. Vice President Jonathan Goodluck and former federal Information Minister Chief Edwin Clark also sent representatives. Nigeria’s Consul-General in New York Ambassador Ibrahim Auwalu was also present.
Although the royal Highness Diette-Spiff declined to speak openly regarding the current onslaught by the Military in Delta State, he told The Guardian that peaceful moves were being undertaken between the leaders of the Niger Delta and the Federal Government to halt what he called “the bombardment.” He said a cease-fire was in sight.
In his own speech at the event, the Vice President, represented by the Special Adviser to the President on Parastatals and Intergovernmental Affairs, Deacon Braye Ekiye, offered amnesty to the militants again in order to rehabilitate them and pursue a peaceful course of action.
Leaders of INAA, hosts of the convention, who are mainly medical doctors, university professors and professionals in the United States on their part condemned the military attacks on Delta State, calling it an “act of genocide.” They nonetheless called for a peaceful resolution.
In his welcome address, Mr. Dawari Longjohn, the President of the association said, INAA “unequivocally condemns this act of genocide that the Nigeria government is currently carrying out … in the Niger Delta.
According to Longjohn, INAA is calling for the severe rebuke of the Nigerian Federal Government by the international community “for the routine carnage of the Ijaw communities since 1999.”
The Ijaw National Alliance of the Americas “calls on the United States government and governments throughout the world which cherish justice and civility to impose sanctions against Nigeria for the premeditated killings of innocent and defenceless civilians time and time again.”
But the INAA still resorted to peace. According to LongJohn “the problems in the Niger Delta can never be solved with bombs, bullets and bayonets. Only dialogue and a sincere commitment to execute the resolutions from these dialogues can bring peace to Nigeria and development to Niger Delta region.”
Speaking later, the Vice President who was represented said he hoped the INAA convention will come up with a “template on resolving the issue of poverty, backwardness and neglect in the area.”
He stated that the Niger Delta is much more than oil and gas as it provides the gateway to the country through the sea and is therefore a source of socio-economic strength in spite of the current challenges
Stressing the need for a commitment from the Ijaws both to the Niger Delta and to Nigeria, Jonathan recalled that Isaac Adaka Boro for whom the event is named was a nationalist and not just a regional leader.
Restating the view that the problem in the Niger Delta has now become a global concern, the Vice President said violence will not solve the problem. Against the background of the recent military action in parts of the Niger Delta, he restated the Federal Government’s commitment “to bringing a peaceful resolution to the conflict,” and that the “Yar’Adua administration is doing everything possible to resolve the Niger Delta crisis.”
According to him that readiness explains why the Federal Government has announced that it was ready to grant amnesty to the militants and “rehabilitate them back into civil society.”
At the convention gala on Saturday evening, Chief Lulu-Briggs, politician and philanthropist received the 2009 INAA award for Service and Devotion for the promotion of patriotic virtues including selfless service, unaffected devotion and accountability in the Ijaw nation. INAA said Lulu-Briggs, a former NPN (National Party of Nigeria) founder and leader among his many accomplishments “has made numerous selfless contributions to move the Ijaw socio-culturally and economically in the areas of education, commerce and industry. He has distinguished himself as a patriot.”
Receiving the award, Lulu-Briggs who attended with his wife, family members and associates from Nigeria, said “my generation has done our part, the future lies in your hands.”
In the speech which was read by his wife, as he was on a wheel chair, Lulu-Briggs said the new generation of Ijaw leaders, including those abroad in the Diaspora are better-educated than their own generation, “and more exposed beyond our own imaginations. You are not bothered by old animosities like us, as we seek new solutions to old problems.”
Meanwhile, the Joint Task Force, Operation Restore Hope, said it foiled an attempt by suspected militants to blow up a Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) pipeline at Awoba Community in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State.
JTF spokesman, Colonel Rabe Abubakar, explained that the troops who were deployed at the Shell Platform were on their normal routine check of the area when the militants were discovered.
He said they ran away on sighting the military men posted to guard the oil facility.
According to him, there was no arrest but the JTF has been monitoring the situation in the area closely, to avoid similar occurrences in the future.
When The Guardian contacted Shell spokesperson, Mr. Precious Okolobo, he did not confirm the incident, but merely asserted that his company does not comment on security matters.
MEND mouthpiece, Jomo Gbomo said yesterday was Mathew Maguire’s birthday and that his company may begin the process of receiving him yesterday while the group makes arrangements for a safe drop off zone.
Also yesterday, a statement by MEND said Mathew Maguire has declined the gift of a release from captivity with an argument that he is now an advocate for change in the region and honorary member of the group.
“He insists that his release should only be considered when Henry Okah is freed to participate in a credible process or has been allowed to travel for his urgent kidney surgery.
“This has come as a surprise to us and we can not forcibly eject him from our camp against his will,” the statement said.