As the appeal for the renewal of the pipeline surveillance contract awarded to private security company, Tantita Security Services, continues to generate media debate, a coalition of militants from the six states of the Niger Delta region under the aegis of the Supreme Egbesu Freedom Fighters of Niger Delta (SEFFND) have called on President Bola Tinubu to split the contract to accommodate other foremost militant leaders such as Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo Asari.
The SEFFND, in a statement signed by its General, Agadagba 1, also known as the River-Don, said that it is unfair for one group to have total control over the N48 billion pipeline surveillance contract, whereas the likes of Asari-Dokubo who worked hard for election of the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and can do the Job even far better than what they have currently achieved in the region.
The militants also dismissed the claim that the leader of Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force, (NDPVF) and former President of Ijaw Youth Council IYC Worldwide, Dokubo Asari, was barred from the Presidential Villa, describing it as false news being sponsored by blackmailers and detractors.
According to SEFFND, those behind the claims have been identified, and tagged as desperate contractors seeking renewal of their oil pipeline surveillance contracts, by using calculated attempts to discredit the rising personality of Mujahid Dokubo Asari to put a wedge between him and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whom Dokubo has maintained a smooth cordial fatherly friendly relationship with over the years.
Part of the statement read, “and it is also known that these identified mischief makers ” and desperate oil pipeline contractors” also played a double game during the poll and lost their local government areas and wards to the major opposition party PDP in the region. They are envious of Alhaji Dokubo Asari taking up a notable position at the centre stage in the seat of power.
“These series of attacks and cheap blackmail on Dokubo are necessitated just because of Dokubo’s stance in standing firm in support of the candidature of Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC against their preferred candidate in the main opposition party in the region. These persons are mere detractors and frustrated, disgruntled elements who want to benefit from a house they never joined to build from the beginning of the campaign to the election victory.
“The group of militant leaders also declare full support to the style of leadership being displayed by Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo Asari and will always stand side by side in support of him and in Defence of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Mandate no matter whose ox is gored, and we stand to condemn the baseless, untrue and unfounded frivolous purported cheap blackmail.
“We know those who are behind the fake news, and they are not comfortable with Dokubo Asari’s genuine concern and commitment to stand side by side in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and for shunning every rebellious attacks and critics from some of these persons and their loyalist of misguided supporters in the region, and for him to stand for the betterment and the overall development of the Niger Delta region and the country in general.
The militant groups also use the medium to emphatically congratulate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) for the landmark victory on the presidential tribunal judgement, these has re-affirmed the mandate that the over 200 million Nigeria voters freely gave to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the 25th of February 2023 at the just concluded presidential poll.
“We also appraise the tribunal judges’ courage, fairness and transparency in dispensing justice despite the media attacks and intimidation, name calling and threats from a broad spectrum of Nigerians.
“We commend Dokubo’s huge concern in coming out openly with his group of soldiers in defending the electoral mandate freely given by Nigerians to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from the onset of the presidential tribunal court case, and to occupy the tribunal court premises on the morning eve of the presidential electoral judgement without minding all the critics.
“Let me advise them to have a rethink and put a stop to these their belief that it is their right to take everything that comes to the Niger Delta region alone at all times because they don’t own Niger Delta; they did not sacrifice more than any other Ijaw sons and did not also own the oil and gas resources in the Niger Delta more than other ethnic nationalities in the region.
“Because one of our highly respected, revered notable leader and stakeholder in the face of the Niger Delta struggle have been making huge sacrifices with his men, spending all hard-earned resources and adequately mobilising for Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2023 presidential election project in the region from the beginning before the presidential election victory against all odds, we are not fools, and nobody owns Niger Delta more than us and we are the real face of the Niger Delta people’s emancipation struggle.
“We wish to state it categorically and abundantly clear that we can also handle such multi-billion dollar pipeline surveillance contract Job even far better than they are currently doing in the region that is even one-sided self-benefactor and family business alike.
The statement added, “the Militant group emphatically warn those desperate ex-militant leaders not to allow us to spill the beans, because we have watertight information with proofs of their illegal dealings and connivance with some top shots at the NNPC towers on how the so-called celebrated 48b pipeline surveillance contract now turned to be 1.3billion dollars, wish is over a trillion.”
READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
and then