Former Delta Waterways Security Chairman and renowned Niger Delta activist, Chief Ayiri Emami, has lambasted those calling for the immediate take-off of Nigerian Maritime University, NMU in Warri-South West Local Government Area, Delta State as condition for dialogue with the Federal Government by the so called Niger Delta Avengers and its allies over their attacks on critical oil and gas lines.
He said those people have only succeeded in exposing their terrorists’ tendencies and confirmed the fear that the land whose acquisition is a subject of criminal investigation is not suitable to host such an institution.
He argued that it was the ploy by those behind the renewed bombing of pipelines in the Niger Delta to make the Maritime University a bait for terrorists’ demand that informed their decision to change the original location of the institution from Koko in Warri North Local Government Area, with existing facilities and conducive environment to the present location.
He queried, “how do you expect parents and guardians to send their wards to school in an environment that has over the years been associated with violent attacks, illegal oil bunkering and pipeline vandalism, traits that are associated with people who are terrorists. Let me make it very clear, I am not against the Nigerian Maritime University coming on stream, but I can’t imagine innocent Nigeria citizens across the country and beyond, becoming endangered species, surrounded by people who easily take up arms without provocation. I am tempted to ask, the day these militants do not get access to vandalize pipelines won’t they resort to kidnapping of staff and students of the NMU? After-all, the kidnap of 14 media practitioners and six Ugborodo indigenes by these militants several months ago is still fresh in our minds.”
Chief Emami averred that the Federal Government and the Nigerian Military should not fall for the antics of the militants, because, “I believe that no matter the names they come up with everyday, the bombing of pipelines is the handiwork of one man who is running away from justice in connection with the fraudulent acquisition of land for the NMU projects, as well as contracts controversially awarded by NIMASA running into billions of naira. No one should be fooled by making it look like a witch-hunt. The first person so far convicted under the President Muhammadu Buhari administration by a competent Court of law is Barr. Temisan Omatseye, an Itsekiri man from the prominent Olu Akengbuwa descendants. He was an APC Senatorial aspirant in the 2015 polls and stalwart of the party, yet no Itsekiri group has taken laws into its hands in the guise of violent agitation.
“I am also not forgetting the on-going Dasuki legal battle, which people of Northern Nigeria have given a chance to take its rightful course, it therefore beats my imagination why the efforts by a single man to evade justice and orchestrate economic sabotage against the country at this precarious state of our economy, is being viewed with ethnic coloration capable of snowballing into another round of ethnic strife in the Niger Delta if not immediately nipped in the bud”.
Chief Emami added, “I am deeply concerned because the manner of attacks which has resulted in unwarranted heavy military and now civilian casualties is dangerous to our peaceful co-existence and destroys the Niger Delta ecosystem. People should commend President Muhammadu Buhari administration for kick-starting the Ogoni land clean-up which successive administrations, including that of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan could not achieve”.
He called on Amnesty International and other reputable human rights group to stand up against what he described as evils of the militants against unprovoked attacks on members of the Joint Task Force, JTF which has led to avoidable deaths of some military men as well as four civilians in Warri.
The Niger Delta activist argued that rights group should not raise unnecessary alarm if the military in the quest to fish out the economic saboteurs, criminals and violent agitators mistakenly hit soft targets “because some civilians or communities which the militants possibly use as shield may suffer casualty”, insisting the Federal Government cannot dialogue with faceless people or fugitives.
