Niger Delta Militants
Traditional ruler seeks proactive approach to insecurity in Niger Delta
[From CHRIS EZE, Yenagoa]
Traditional ruler, in Niger Delta, His Royal Majesty, King Bubaraye Dakolo, Ibenanaowei of Ekpetiama Kingdom, Bayelsa State, has urged the federal government to de-emphasize kinetic approach towards curbing insecurity in the region.
The monarch spoke at the 7th Annual Public Lecture of the Federated Correspondents’ Chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists, (NUJ), Bayelsa council, with the theme: “Maritime Security: Implications for Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Industry”.
King Dakolo who was chairman of the occasion while stressing that maritime insecurity was a serious challenge that needed to be tackled with all vigour, however observed that kinetic approach alone cannot guarantee peace in the region for unhindered oil and gas activities.
He said, “For the navy and all the security agencies responsible for maritime security, beyond what you are doing, I am thinking that an easier way will be a preventive way which is to make sure the minds of the people around and their means of livelihood are also re-jiged in such a way that people are gainfully engaged and perhaps oil thievery becomes so unattractive that nobody will want to go into it.”
The Guest Lecturer, and Flag Officer Commanding, (FOC) Central Naval Command, Yenagoa, Rear Admiral Obinwanne Egbuchulam noted that insecurity along the nation’s water ways poses a great challenge to the oil and gas industry.
According to him, in 2020 alone, there were 44 vessel attacks by pirates, with 487 suspects arrested, 168 illegal refineries destroyed and 393 wooden boats seized.
The FOC who was represented by the Commander, Nigeria Navy Ship, NNS, Soroh, Commodore Patrick Effah said in order to ensure that trade and commerce continued to flourish within the nation’s maritime environment, and by extension in the Gulf of Guinea, the Nigeria Navy had been involved in over 24 operations this year alone to combat illegal activities.
He maintained that with the acquisition of more warships, helicopters and other equipments, the incidences of sea robbery, kidnapping and piracy along the maritime environment had been drastically reduced, hence stabilizing security in the region.
Earlier in his address of welcome, Chairman of the Federated Correspondents’ Chapel, NUJ, Bayelsa Council, Mr. Chris Eze, said the annual lecture is part of the efforts by the Chapel to contribute to the development of the society as members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm, “performing our duties as agenda setters for the citizenry”.
“So it is against this backdrop that the Chapel came up with this theme for this year’s lecture, “Maritime Security: Implications for Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Industry”, so that together with stakeholder we can examine this discourse with a view to calling the attention of all relevant stakeholders to take our rightful positions and responsibilities towards ensuring that the maritime environment is safe and secure for unhindered activity in the oil and gas industry”.
The public lecture attracted participants from the security agencies, rights activists, academia and the media.
