By Brave Dickson
The leader of the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force, Dokubo Asari, King Ateke Tom of Okochiri Kingdom (Okrika), Shoot-aside, Boyloaf, and others met at the weekend behind closed doors.
These were those who played leading roles during the 21st-century uprising in the Niger Delta region in their demand for resource control.
The reason for the meeting may not have been unconnected with what the region stands to benefit from the current administration of President Bola Tinubu.
You recall that the National President of the Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality (MOSIEND), Kennedy West has advocated for a pipeline surveillance contract to be shared among Asari, Ateke, and other ex-agitators in the interest of peace and fairness.
The MOSIEND national leader also urged the federal government to consider awarding oil exploration licenses to the citizens of the Niger Delta region, adding that the people of the region are capable of handling oil mining leases.
West reminded the federal government that it took the intervention of critical stakeholders to calm the situation, the last time the surveillance contracts were awarded and these leaders and other stakeholders were left out.
He said, “The duo of Asari and Ateke have been at the forefront of the Niger Delta struggle and, aside from having the capacity, capital, and manpower to secure the pipelines, they have a lot of people they are empowering who will feel intimidated if they are not considered this time around.”
MOSIEND warned that there would be tension in the Niger Delta region if Asari and Ateke are not included in the next phase of the pipeline surveillance contracts that will be awarded by the federal government.
