Armed militants from the creeks of the Niger Delta are spoiling for war over the N4bn surveillance contract awarded to a former creek warlord, Government Ekpemupolo, aka Tompolo.
The hooded militants, who brandished AK-47 rifles, vowed to sustain attacks on the pipelines if some notable indigenes were not integrated into the deal.
Speaking in a viral video, the leader of the militants, who identified himself as ‘General’ Lente said the Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva, erred for giving only Tompolo the job.
He said leaders from a community hosting 83km of over 90km pipeline were ignored in the contract award.
Lente wondered why King Ateke Tom and Alhaji Asari Dokubo were not considered to be part of the contract, accusing the minister of causing confusion in Ijaw land.
According to him: ” This message is for Timipre Sylva. What you are trying to do is to cause trouble in the Niger Delta especially in Ijaw land. What you are trying to do won’t work for you.
“You are trying to cause confusion. NCTL is over 90km. A particular community has 83km in it, you didn’t give any of them the job but you took it to somebody who is in Oporoza when we have the likes of the former IYC President, Dokubo Alhaji Asari, High Chief Ateke Tom, you didn’t give to them.
“But let me tell you, I General Lente even if the leaders accept it, I will not accept it because you tried it in oil and gas, you succeeded because we didn’t talk to you. You think we are David Lyon that you took into politics and after he lost his election, you took over his contract and gave it to your brother Kojo Sam.
“This is the pipeline, come and see. Nobody will stop us. If you don’t give the contract to the original indigenes, it will not work”.
