Freedom could still be a long way for the nine expatriate oil workers held hostage by Ijaw militants. Reason: Their captors have allegedly told the Delta State Governor, Chief James Ibori, not to dissipate his energy on seeking negotiation with them until their two demands were met.
The conditions are a written undertaking from the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Alexander Ogomudia, that the Ijaw communities will no longer be attacked by the military and an assurance that the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. John Campbell, and the British High Commissioner, Mr. Richard Gozney, will be present during negotiations on the hostages� release.
Our correspondent learnt that when a member of the Delta State committee on the release of the hostages met with the militants on Monday morning, he was told to inform Ibori to first seek ways of ensuring that the conditions were met before discussing the release of the captives.
The position of the militants was said to have dampened the morale of Ibori, who had hoped that the expatriates would be freed on Monday.
The governor had through his media aides put journalists on standby in anticipation of the release of the oil workers.
The governor, according to the source, argued that the involvement of the envoys in the negotiation might send a wrong signal to the international community about the country�s sovereignty.
When contacted, the Senior Special Assistant to Ibori on Media Matters, Mr. Abel Oshevire, said he was not aware of the conditions given by the militants.
�The governor has assured them (militants) that they will not be attacked by the military again and that the government will not renege on that promise. We are quite hopeful that the hostages will be released soon,� he said.
Meanwhile, the JTF on Monday beefed up security around the facilities of an American oil firm, Chevron/Texaco Nigeria Limited, in Delta State.
Also, troops attached to the JTF�s unit in Escravos were directed to patrol strategic assets of the CTNL, particularly those located in Gbaramatu and Ugborodo Communities in Warri South-West Local Government Area of the state.
The JTF, said a source, took the actions following alleged threats to the company�s operations by Ijaw and Itsekiri youths.
The youths of Gbaramatu kingdom had in a statement on Thursday, issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the CTNL to reabsorb 12 of their kinsmen who were allegedly sacked and to reaward a cottage hospital in their community to a competent contractor.
Similiarly, the people of Ugborodo threatened a showdown with the company over alleged marginalisation in the $3billion gas-gathering project initiated by the oil firm.
The community, through the Vice-Chairman of Ugborodo Management Committee, Mr. Isaac Botosan, warned CTNL�s major contractors, especially Hyundai Industries Limited and Southern Gas Company, not to mobilise to site until 60 per cent of the employment slots and contracts for the project were given to them.
The commander of the JTF, Brig. Gen. Elias Zamani, who confirmed that troops had been put on the alert, said his outfit would not treat the threat by the two communities with levity