Beyond The Bombs in Niger Delta!

By

Martin Usenekong - 08028256525

As an Ibeno man from a major oil producing community of Akwa Ibom State in Nigeria, I am fully aware of all the negative environmental, social and economic effects of oil exploration. Unlike in Kuwait and other lucky oil producing areas in Asia, Europe, south America and even here in Africa, the discovery and exploration of crude oil seems to have become a curse rather than a blessing to the oil producing communities of the Niger Delta region.
Not being an expert in the area of scientific environment assessment, I cannot go into the details of what the people in these areas suffer. But as a layman, I can list some of the catastrophic degradations to include atmospheric and aquatic pollution, complete destruction of aquatic life (fish) the natural products of fishermen, interference of net fishing by a complex network of pipes, the destruction of sheeting roofs, a complicity of health hazards, and the socio-economic problems of a large influx of nationalities from other parts of the country and some neighbouring countries.
Inspite of all these, some of the oil producing companies have endeavoured to contribute positively towards the improved welfare of their host communities. These have included health, education, social and even economic enhancing facilities. Unfortunately, some past state governments, and even the federal government tended to abandon the development of these oil producing areas to the fate of the oil companies.
Between 1960 and 1999, all the military administrations at the federal and state levels used the wealth of the poor communities to build sky scrappers, fly-overs, dual-carriage roads, industries, universities, specialist hospitals, the nations; Armed Forces and even a new Federal Capital City in Abuja. Attempts at further blindfolding the people of the Niger Delta came on the establishment of the octopus OMPADEC and then the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC. While these two bodies produced overnight millionaires through juicy contracts to well-connected contractors, something with an unlimited budget called the Petroleum Trust Fund emerged and went into all sorts of gigantic projects including building roads, railway lines, air transportation, shipping lines all over the country except in the Niger Delta region. And, whenever the youths reacted in desperation lives in Odi, Obasanjo, a retried General sent his soldiers without even the courtesy of informing the National Assembly.
It is the culmination of these and other considerations that must have produced the different militant groups that have graduated from the hostage-taking of foreign workers to the destruction of oil installations and the criminal-like kidnappings of foreigners and Nigerians alikes. A few weeks ago, President Yar'Adua might have been pushed to the wall when he declared a total war on the militant camps in some parts of the Niger Delta region. In spite of the scanty reports coming from the “war front” through the militants E-mails and the Joint task Force releases, Nigerians seem to be at a great loss as to what's really going on. We have only heard that one Chief “Tompolo” has escaped by boat to a neighbouring country and a few dead federal soldiers here and there. Nobody has been able to give the world the true picture of the disasters of air bombings, naval bombings and land operations in the creeks of Nigerian villages.
I do not know whether the presidency, the High Command of the Armed Forces, the National and State Assemblies have read the statement and opinions of General Luke Aprezi; an expert in peace-keeping operatives of the United Nations In Africa and beyond! From Vietnam to the Congo, in the Falklands and even in Darfur, the Niger Delta imbroglio requires much more than bombing the creeks. We must begin a deliberate effort and winning the peace by showing more love to the thousands of refugees, the wounded civilians, the displaced mothers and children in the war zone. The Joint Task Force is not fighting a foreign enemy. This is not a “war”, but a special domestic situation. The militant leaders must be made to trust the “amnesty” offer and the people of the Niger Delta need to be convinced of the sincerity and good intentions of the Presidency.