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N’Delta Leaders Insist On Resource Control, Self-Determination
Some leaders of the Niger Delta have demanded granting of self-determination to their region to take total control of its resources and end years of alleged exploitation, deprivation and slavery of their people in the Nigerian state.
The leaders, who lamented that the people of the Niger Delta had been talking and agitating for resource control and restructuring of the country through conferences but to no avail, said the time had come for them to take their destiny in their hands.
In a keynote address at a conference by the Niger Delta Alternative Convergence (NDAC) to endorse the eight-point demand in the “Niger Delta Manifesto for Socio-Ecological Justice” in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, former Chairman, Editorial Board of The Guardian, Prof. G. G. Darah, said: “From the challenges we are facing in the Niger Delta region, we seem to assume that the Federal Government is on our side whereas the Federal Government is the number one enemy of the Niger Delta.
“Today, people are anxious to be the president of Nigeria because there is the Niger Delta oil for them to squander. What this means is that the political system is all organised for taking control of the oil money, to share it among the friends of the president. All the parties are organised gangs to loot and plunder the Niger Delta resources.
“That is the country we are in. Therefore, we must assume that whatever government that comes to office in 2023 will not be different from the past ones since 1960. Nigeria has been designed to steal our resources and share. They gather monthly in Abuja to share the money. All our presidents, now and past, occupied office for the purpose of plundering our resources, otherwise our own son would have done something. Jonathan, when he was president, had no capacity to touch any bad section of the constitution against the Niger Delta”.
According to Darah, “Nigeria exists today because of Niger Delta oil and Nigeria is the only country in the world that has colonised its people.
“Now, we are pleading that the Federal Government should implement the manifesto. We have to do it by ourselves because if you look at history, it is not today that our people have been fighting against injustice. Jonathan called for a national conference and all the issues raised could not be implemented. So, what we are doing now is the authentication of the national conference for Nigerian people.
“The structure of Nigeria is against us and to build a new Nigeria will take time. We need a Niger Delta that will be in charge of its own resources and aim to be a country of its own, a sovereign country. Some ethnic groups in the Niger Delta are bigger than some European countries and our ancestors in their grave will not forgive us that we succumbed cheaply. We are well populated”.
Prof. Lucky Akaruese of the Ishekiri nationality aligned with the position of Darah, noting that many countries of the world like East Timo and Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia, Denmark and Norway, Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union that split into many countries are products of negotiations, so the Niger Delta and Nigeria cannot be an exception.
A prominent traditional ruler from Rivers State backed the demand for a sovereign state.
“I agree with Prof. Darah that we should clamour for Niger Delta Republic, and the manifesto we are signing today, we should speak with one voice. We have been talking and now it is only action that will bring result. There is nothing the Niger Delta has gotten without struggle.
“The manifesto will remain a document if we do not put it to action. The Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) presented a 16-point agenda but only two were implemented. So, we need to take a deliberate action on some of the issues we raise here.”
The convener of NDAC and Executive Director of Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Comrade Nnimmo Bassey, said: “The convergence also aims to produce an inclusive Niger Delta Manifesto for Socio-Ecological Justice highlighting needed alternatives for transformation and social mobilisations for resource justice. It is hoped that NDAC will provoke a platform for convergence of communities in the region to galvanise action for needed changes for re-source access, including through demands for legislative changes, debates on the Petroleum Industry Bill and for critical attainment of re-source democracy – defined as the right of a people to live in harmony with nature and to retain a right to use, or not use, the gifts of nature.”
He stated that 64 years of oil extraction had brought untold misery and cut life abysmally low in the region.
“Things cannot continue this way. We have demands and resolves in the proposed Niger Delta Manifesto shared to delegates. Let’s all rise to be counted, demand that politicians declare their environmental plans before they gain our votes. Let us demand real climate action, including a halt to gas flaring and a restoration of our ecosystems. Let us demand action to stall the washing away of our communities. After 64 years of a nightmare, it is time to wake up, it is time to demand socio-ecological justice. We are not calling for charity, we are calling for justice”.
Former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Victor Attah, and the National Chairman of PANDEF, Senator Ibok Essien, clamoured for restructuring and total control of resources.
They pleaded with the people of the region to get their PVCs to vote people that will carry out restructuring of the country.
A group of Eminent persons from the Niger Delta region under the aegis of The Niger Delta Watch Dog has warned the Federal Government against yielding to the call to decentralize pipeline surveillance in the region.
The Eminent persons who said this in a press release made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt said those calling for decentralization of pipeline surveillance are ignorant of the dangers it poses to the peace and stability of the Niger Delta.
.They argued that the proposal poses significant risk to the peace security and economic stability of the region.
According to the release” While decentralization is often perceived as a means of promoting inclusivity and local participation, in this specific context it poses significant risks to peace, security, and economic stability.
It further said”evidence from community dynamics across the region suggests that decentralization will cause more harm than good, leading to increased conflict, fragmentation of authority, and heightened threats to critical national infrastructure.
“By contrast, the centralized model currently implemented by Tantita Security Services under the leadership of Government Ekpemupolo Tompolo has demonstrated measurable success in stabilizing the region, reducing conflict, and safeguarding Nigeria’s economic lifelines”
While describing the Niger Delta region as the backbone of Nigeria oil and gas, it added that any changes in policy will lead to crisis in the region.
“The Niger Delta region remains the backbone of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, hosting extensive pipeline networks that are vital to national revenue and economic sustainability.
“Given the sensitive nature of this infrastructure, the framework through which pipeline security is managed must prioritize stability, coordination, and conflict prevention.
“Any policy shift particularly toward decentralization must therefore be carefully evaluated in light of the region’s socio-political realities”
It said
The release jointly signed by Chief Idowu Asonja ,Ellington Pokumo the Public Relations officer of the group Comrade Douye kojo Isoun and others,
said decentralization will lead to escalation of Inter-Community land dispute, intensifies rivalry between groups as well as heightens the struggle against Territorial control among others.
“Decentralizing pipeline security will likely intensify existing disputes between neighbouring communities as many communities in the Niger Delta have been involved in conflicts over Land ownership and territorial boundaries as well as Control of natural resources and
“Claims over oil pipelines passing through their territories” adding
“Such instability not only disrupts social harmony but also directly endangers pipeline infrastructure, increasing the risk of vandalism, sabotage, and production losses”
It said the gains recorded so far by the present centralization policy should be preserve as any shifts could wrecked havoc in the region.
“Any policy shift must preserve these hard-earned gains. At this time, decentralization presents a significant risk, while the current system continues to offer stability, security, and economic assurance for the nation.
“It is therefore strongly advised that the Federal Government of Nigeria carefully scrutinize and ultimately disregard calls for the decentralization of pipeline security contracts. “Available evidence and prevailing realities suggest that such calls may not be driven by the broader national interest, but rather by narrow, self-serving agendas that could reignite conflict within the region, this we know the Government does not need” the group said
The Director-General of the Rivers State Investment Promotion Agency (RSIPA), Dr. Chamberlain Peterside, has used the platform of the revived BRACED Commission to unveil investment opportunities and plans in Rivers State.
The BRACED Commission just bounced back and has already held a roundtable in Port Harcourt preparatory to an economic summit in the near future.
The roundtable featured the investment promotion agencies of the cooperating states: Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo, and Delta states.
Dr Peterside not only chaired the roundtable but made presentations for Rivers State economic landscape.
He hailed the rebound of the BRACED Commission which did well at the onset. “The governors of the region were one and united for one cause. Then, politics came and everything scattered. The agenda is simple, to integrate the economy of the region into one strong bloc.”
He admitted that Rivers State’s investment promotion agency is very young, plus six months in the limbo of state of emergency. “This thus is a very unique opportunity to get resurgent momentum.”
He listed the achievements of RSIPA in the short period since its establishment, saying it has received numerous investment proposals.
“We’ve engaged actively with the private sector, both those currently operating in the state and those intending to invest. We do realize the fact that investment begins from domestic investors. and you have to guide them.
“Through outreach programmes and establishment of a One-Stop-Center (OSC), we have created a streamlined system for addressing investor needs, supporting their business operations. For the first time in Rivers State, prospective investors and small and medium enterprises now have a centralized hub that can address their challenges and find solutions that enable them to thrive.”
He outlined the plans ahead thus: “One of our cardinal focuses at RSIPA is to enhance the operating climate and improve the ease of doing business.
“We are committed to creating a vibrant and business-friendly environment that attracts and retains investment. We are also working closely with other ministries, departments, and agencies to harmonize our activities.
“Collaboration for us is key; we see Rivers State as a single ecosystem where all stakeholders work together to support investment inflow and build a favorable environment for businesses to flourish.”
For the region, he lamented the situation whereby “the carpet is shifting under our feet. The IOCs (international oil corporations) have moved offshore. The issue before us now is how should the region act now. We should target big ticket investment proposals. This is because some proposals will involve other states. There is thus need to collaborate.”
He gave examples of projects that cannot be for one state. “Railway system is not for one state. At the moment, there is no railway line that links Benin to Port Harcourt to Calabar. BRACED can push this agenda.
“There is an oil route from Opobo to Akwa Ibom where Sterling Oil is operating. It’s a route of interest. Governor Sim Fubara wants us to synergise with other states economically. The best time is now because all the governors are now in one political party.”
He called on all the agencies in the BRACED states to sell the idea to their governors.
“Let the governors know that BRACED task is not a competition but as a collaboration. We have the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the South-South Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (SSCCIMA), the Niger Delta Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Trade, Mines, and Agriculture (NDCCITMA), etc. This is the ripest time to strike the iron.”
The Director General of the Bayelsa Investment Promotion Agency (BIPA), Mrs. Patience Ranami Abah, also shook the floor when she presented what she termed ‘Closing the Value Capture Gap’.
She showed how the states will win bigger by playing together to present an economic front.
David Franklin, a deputy director, who represented the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Abuja, said investment in people is the beginning of prosperity.
“The South-South is the hub of power of Nigeria due to the hydrocarbon industry, blue economy, agriculture, tourism, etc.”
The Director General, BRACED Commission, Amb.Joe Keshi, in his welcome remarks, said the roundtable was themed around synchrosnising investment frontiers in a strategic framework for south-south economic integration.
The roundtable ended with a communique that recommended setting up a monitoring committee, and other organs to drive integration and investment.
Some of the key resolutions in the Communique issued at the end of the two-day symposium included the call for a BRACED Investment Promotion Charter with a harmonized Regional Investment Promotion Framework and a roadmap.
The Communique called for infrastructure alignment, uniform economic reforms, human capital development plan, and a technical oversight group.
The communique urged state governments, investors, and development partners to collaborate in transforming the BRACED states into a beacon of economic dynamism.
The Defence Headquarters has placed troops on nationwide alert ahead of the Easter celebrations, assuring Nigerians of tightened security.
The DHQ also reaffirmed that ongoing support from the United States is strengthening counter-terrorism operations, with a visible impact expected in the coming weeks.
Addressing journalists during the end-of-the-month briefing on Tuesday in Abuja, the Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj Gen Michael Onoja, assured citizens of heightened vigilance by troops during the Easter celebrations.
Onoja said the Armed Forces had already placed personnel on alert nationwide to prevent any security breach during the holiday period.
He added that similar measures were implemented during previous festive seasons, including Christmas and Eid-el-Fitr, and would be sustained.
“We know that festive seasons usually have heightened security activities. The military command gives instructions to ensure all personnel are on alert. This time will not be different,” he said.
He emphasised that security agencies would not relax despite the celebrations, noting that adversaries often attempted to exploit such periods.
“I can assure you that we will always be on alert, particularly at this period of festivities, because we know that the threats expect us to relax.
“But we are not going to relax. Everything will be okay for this Easter,” he added.
Speaking on the ongoing collaboration with the US forces, Onoja said the impact of the collaboration may not be immediately visible due to the nature of military engagements, but expressed confidence that the benefits would become evident in the coming weeks and months.
He said the U.S. support to Nigeria’s operations had been significant, particularly in the areas of intelligence sharing and training, noting that the assistance was being provided on favourable terms to strengthen ongoing counter-threat operations.
According to him, “You are aware that they are bringing intelligence and training support to us, which we need. They are giving that to us on very favourable terms. There are lots of things I cannot say because of confidentiality.”
He added that the intelligence being provided included information on the location of threats and hostile elements, stressing that Nigerian troops would act accordingly.
“All we can say is that these things take time. There is a gestation period when we are conducting military operations.
“You will not see it immediately, but in the next few months or weeks, you will feel the difference in the impact of the assistance that the U.S. is providing,” Onoja stated.
On February 16, 2026, DHQ confirmed the arrival of approximately 100 US military personnel and equipment at Bauchi Airfield.
According to the military high command, the personnel, who are not combat troops, were in Nigeria strictly for technical assistance, training, and advisory roles in counter-terrorism efforts.
However, insecurity has continued to surge in several parts of the country since their deployment, raising concerns about the effectiveness of the collaboration.