Stopping Oil Theft Does Not Translate to Solving Niger Delta Problems -Ozobo Cautions NSA

• No serious govt would equate tackling oil theft to solving the N’Delta question

• Solving oil theft is just about protecting government revenue

By Monday Peters, Abuja

Renowned Niger Delta Human and Environmental Rights Activist and President of the Ijaw People’s Development Initiative, IPDI, Comrade Ozobo Austin, has taken a swipe at the National Security Adviser, NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, over his recent comment linking the solution to Nigeria’s problems to ending oil theft in the Niger Delta.

Ozobo said the NSA’s statement, which has gone viral, grossly misrepresents the true challenges confronting the Niger Delta region.

Ribadu had reportedly said “if you want to solve Nigeria’s problem, solve Niger Delta’s problem fast,” while equating the Niger Delta problem to oil theft.

Reacting, Ozobo said such a position is erroneous and misleading, stressing that ending oil theft will never end the age-long agitation for justice, equity and development in the Niger Delta.

According to him, “Our attention has been drawn to the NSA’s statement. We take strong exception to it. The Niger Delta problem is not oil theft. Oil theft is largely orchestrated by government and security agents themselves. Stopping it does not translate to solving our problems.”

He listed the real Niger Delta problems to include underdevelopment, marginalization, political exclusion, environmental injustice, resource control and self-determination, not crude theft.

“The comment exposes the mindset of the current administration. It shows the Federal Government is only interested in the uninterrupted flow of oil, not in addressing decades of neglect, poverty, unemployment and environmental pollution our people suffer,” Ozobo added.

The IPDI President further stated that oil theft, illegal bunkering and mining are global crimes and not peculiar to the Niger Delta, adding that no serious government would equate tackling oil theft to solving the Niger Delta question.

He expressed disappointment that such a “reckless and undemocratic statement” could come from the country’s top security adviser who ought to understand the excruciating plight of the region.

“Solving oil theft is just about protecting government revenue. It has not been translated to any transformation in the Niger Delta. Despite the recent increase in oil production following Tantita and other private security efforts, what benefit is the region enjoying?” he queried.

Ozobo, therefore, called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to focus on the core issues of marginalization, neglect, resource control and underdevelopment, stressing that only genuine commitment to those issues will guarantee peace, stability and security in Nigeria, not just fighting oil theft.