SURVEILLANCE CONTRACT: “Don’t Spur Ethnic Crises”- Ijaw Woman Leader Lambasts Itsekiri Woman Leader

Agency Report

Ijaw women leader, Comr Egbe Emi Robert has berated prominent Itsekiri leader, Mrs. Rita-Lori Ogbebor over her opposition to the award of a N4.5 billion surveillance contract to former leader of Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) Chief Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo.

Egbe stated that women are supposed to be home and Society builders providing solutions to issues in pursuit of peace, but she wondered why a supposed Mother like Mrs. Rita-Lori Ogbebor would be acting contrary.

Egbe noted that her action’s are capable of spurring ethnic crises, asking her to speak on issues that would develop the region.

Egbe further stated that the region is in dire need of infrastructural developments and jobs, she asked the itsekiri woman leader to channel her energy to demanding for modular refineries, relocation of IOCs and not on issues that will breed animosity and hate amongst Niger Deltans.

” Mothers or women in society is expected to be peacemakers and solution providers in any social setting and not to make goading expressions publicly that can spur ethnic sentiments or rivalry. As a women if you are in a quandary about pertinent issues that has to do with your locality you need to be mute instead, and not coming on air to utter provocative statesments capable of disrupting an existing peace between Ijaws and Itsekiri.

Ordinarilly we wouldn’t have responded to you Mrs Rita Lori- Ogbebor but in order to put the records straight to avoid misleading the public, Your call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to Revoke the #48bn Pipeline Survellance Contracts is misplaced and highly ungracious and shouldn’t be coming from a woman who mean well for our people in the Niger Delta Region. Madam you will agree with us that the illegal bunkering activities in our communities has cause alot of environmental Sabotage and harzards to our environment over the years.

Madam, how come we have not heard you urging the federal Government of Nigeria to build modular refineries in Niger Delta Region? where were you when our foremost female human Rights Activist Mummy Annkio Briggs and her likes in the Niger Delta Region has been tirelessly calling on the attention of the Federal Government to develop the region and even advocated severally for International Oil Companies ( IOC’s) to bring back their headquarters to the Niger Delta Region. Crude oil is the mainstay of the Nigeria economy, without which the Nigeria economy will be in shambles, hence the security of our pipeline facilities should be a top priority of every well meaning Nigerian, especially those of us in the Niger Delta Region that bears the brunt.

The Federal Government of Nigeria is on the right track to give this Pipeline Survellance Contract to Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo because he is a man who comprehend the happenings around the creeks in the areas that has been allotted to him via laising with the locales. The Olu of Itsekiri Surveillance Contract which runs from Rivers State to Akwa-Ibom Worth # 11 .5 per month, as a matter of urgency needs to be revoked by the Federal Government and be given to people from those States for Peace to Reign, due to the fact that he is only aware of the happenings in his palace as the king of Itsekiri people in the Niger Delta Region.