A forum of former Niger Delta militants under the aegis of Akwa Ibom Ex-militants Forum threatened a mass protest against he award of pipeline surveillance contract to High Chief Government Ekpemupolo by the Federal Government.
The group issued a seven days ultimatum to the Federal Government to revoke the N4 billion monthly contract or risk mass protest and shutdown of oil production in the state.
The demanded for the contract tot be re-awarded to accommodate former agitators from Akwa Ibom State.
State Coordinator, Johnson Solomon, and Secretary, Godwin Edohoaqua, in a petition addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari and security agencies, said the government ought to engage youths of the region before awarding the contract.
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It argued that the youths have had their communities suffer many years of environmental degradation due to oil exploration and exploitation.
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The petition partly reads;
“In 2015, when President Goodluck Jonathan was about to hand over to President Buhari, ex-militants from Akwa Ibom State in numbers, protested to the National Assembly against similar contract which did not accommodate us.
“The leadership of the National Assembly with Heads of security agencies, received our protest letter and assured us that Akwa Ibom ex-militants will be accommodated in future contracts.
“It is wrong for the Federal Government to shortchange the youths of Akwa Ibom State by awarding such a bogus contract to a sectional former leader of ex-militants while oil and gas pipelines crosses our land but we are not engaged, we won’t accept such marginalisation.
“We are giving the Federal Government a seven day ultimatum to address the situation or we will embark on a marathon protest that will shut down oil and gas production in Akwa Ibom State.
“Our youths have refused to be involved in oil theft and pipeline vandalism because of our patriotism for Nigeria and the agreement we signed with the Federal Government during Amnesty but that should not be a criteria for us to be marginalised in the award of such a contract.”
“We are familiar with the terrain and pipeline routes running across the state and only youths from the state can protect the pipelines better than a visitor. If our youths are engaged in such a project, the rate of unemployment will reduce,” the group averred.
