N/Delta activist, Ezekiel vows to fish out criminal elements issuing threat on Ozobo

By Peters Monday, Abuja

Renowned Niger Delta activist Comrade Daniel Ezekiel has vowed to bring to book what he described as faceless miscreants parading themselves under non-existing Anti-pipeline Vandalization and Crude Oil Theft Taskforce Group in the Niger Delta with Coalition of Ex-militant Leaders Forum of Ijaw and Itsekiri in Delta State issuing life threat on Niger Delta senior citizen, Comrade Ozobo Austin.

This is according to a statement signed by himself and a copy was sent to newsmen in Warri Delta State on Wednesday.

The activist said identities of miscreants issuing threats on Amb. Comrade Ozobo Austin is known and placed on notice by relevant authorities in the state, adding that they would be made to face the music should an ordinary headache happen to Ozobo.

According to him, there was nothing wrong to cite Olu’s ₦138.7 billion pipeline surveillance security contract by the Niger Delta advocate Ozobo, following the continued sponsored gang-up against Tompolo’s ₦ 4 billion security contract.

He emphasised that Ozobo only educated the blindfolded miscreants to identify between Olu and Tompolo who deserved the surveillance contract.

Ezekiel who issued the statement said no well-meaning youth and ex-agitator in Niger Delta would abandon the 138.7 billion contract which much more deserved decentralisation, to demand a halt of renewal or decentralisation of the N4 billion contract.

He described the miscreants issuing a threat of being sponsored by a cabal who are not comfortable with the truth asserted by Ambassador Ozobo, nothing that any attack on Ozobo would create anarchy and regret among criminals whose identities are already in the public.

The statement reads partly, “It is not only appalling but extremely annoying and barbaric the brazen attacks and threat to the life of the president of foremost Niger Delta Advocacy Group, Ijaw People’s Development Initiative (IPDI), Comrade Austin Ozobo, popularly known as King of the Dragons by a faceless and sponsored miscreants.

“In as much as we preach peace, we should not be taken for granted because nobody has a monopoly on violence. The flurry of noise in a publication issued by a group of miscreants under a nebulous and non- existing body calling itself Anti- pipeline Vandalization and Crude Oil Theft Taskforce Group in the Niger Delta with Coalition of Ex-militant leaders Forum of Ijaw and Itsekiri in Delta State, is unwarranted as it lacks substance and attempt to turn logic upside down.

“It is in the public domain the grand conspiracy against High Chief Government Ekemupolo a.k.a Tompolo’s company, Tantita, right from the beginning of the job. But this open hatred came to the head in the last 3 weeks with moves from several quarters kicking against the renewal of Tantita’s job.
With due respect to our highly respectable king, Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse all, the Olu of Warri, since this pipeline job became public knowledge, all accusations, blackmails, attacks and insults have been directed at Tompolo as if he is the only contractor.

“It is a fact that buck of the job across the region falls within the purview of Olu, worth a whopping 138.7Billion naira a year compared to that of Tompolo which is just a mere N4 Billion naira, the basis of Comrade Austin Ozobo’s outburst in his well-articulated press statement which has been antagonised by charlatans parading themselves as ex-militants leaders against their fellow Ijaw and Itsekiri, that the job should be taken away from him because according to them, he cannot be in charge of their areas.

“It is noteworthy that Olu of Warri is in charge of the Eastern region including Rivers State, yet the likes of Asari and Ateke who are from that state are not saying anything about Olu, rather concentrate their caustic attacks on Tompolo whose job is in the western part.
The question right-thinking persons within the Ijaw Nation are asking is why are these ex-militant leaders not calling Olu of Warri contract out the way their vexation is firmly on that of Tompolo.
To state unequivocally, in this web of gang up are also groups from Isoko and Urhobo whose gaze is solely directed towards Tompolo, none is against the much more N138.7 billion contract, this is why well-meaning people like Ozobo is asking question.

“If it is true that what is good for the goose is also good for the gander, Ozobo’s position is so that let those agitating for Tompolo’s job to be shared should first and foremost demand for that of Olu of Warri own to balkanize before they can talk of Tompolo’s own which is much less.
Ozobo only spoke the minds of the majority of Ijaws who were highly disappointed at the pull-him-down acts of these selfish and greedy ex-militant leaders with their collaborators.

“So calling Ozobo names, threatening fire and brimstone will not change the fact on the ground, neither will it deter him from fighting a just cause.
The miscreants behind this vexatious publication should seize their war-mongering song because any attempt or attempted attempt to remove an inch of hair from Ozobo’s body, I can assure them all that the law enforcement agents of this nation shall come after you all in a very ferocious manner,” he added.