THE Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) has warned the Federal Government to swiftly halt the alleged plot to relocate the offices of the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC) and its counterpart, the Nigerian Gas Marketing Company (NGMC) from Warri in Delta State to either Lagos or Abuja over security reasons.
President, IYC worldwide, Pereotubo Roland Oweilaemi, Esq, gave the warning in a statement made available to Tribune Online on Monday in Warri, Delta State.
The terse statement, which described those behind the plot as the fifth columnist in the Presidency, read thus:
“While we do not want to believe that some agent provocateurs are planning to undermine the peace processes of the present Government when the agitation for the relocation of oil companies’ head offices to the Niger Delta is still stirring the tempest.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Niger Delta people will not sit idly by and allow our oppressors to take everything from us.
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“In fact, our call for the immediate relocation of all the corporate head offices of the multinational oil companies together with NNPC still stand. It cannot be the reverse case.
“Power players in the NNPC and the present government should be wary of their actions.
“Any move to remove the offices of the Nigerian Gas Company or any of the NNPC’s subsidiary companies from Warri or any other part of the Niger Delta region to other parts of the Country will be met with dire consequences.
“Nigeria will boil, no doubt if cabals in Buhari’s government succeed in their clandestine act.
“This is an economic war of aggression against the Niger Delta people and we are ready to resist them with all vigour. President Buhari should immediately call agent provocateurs in his Government to order before they plunge the Country in deep and unavoidable crisis.
“Niger Delta region is very peaceful. This is the place where Nigerians and foreigners alike do come to extract the black gold on a daily basis.
“Has any of the expatriates’ workers complained of insecurity in the region? Does it mean Niger Delta region is only peaceful to extract oil but not secure to site the companies’ offices?
“This is highly provocative. It is a direct invitation to anarchy. It will be disastrous to the nation’s oil-dependent economy if these invidious elements succeed in their devious plans. To be warned is to be forewarned.”