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From Joseph Obukata, Warri
The Ijaw Youths Network (IYN) has faulted former defence minister, Major General Tajudeen Olarenwaju, over his postulation on the killing of 17 Army personnel in Okuama community in Delta State.
On March 14, the soldiers were in the Niger Delta community to mediate in a land dispute between two neighbouring communities when they were ambushed and murdered by yet to be arrested assailants.
According to the IYN, in reacting to the killings which shocked the entire country, the retired general fought hard to create a non-existent link between this crime against humanity and the collaborative protection of the nation’s oil pipeline between private security outfits, the military and security agencies.
It noted in a statement by its coordinator, Frank Ebikabo and Secretary, Federal Ebiaridor
that Gen. Olarenwaju’s claim that it was unsafe for non-state actors to protect oil installations in the country “at this critical time” was not curious but wrong.
The IYN argued the general’s statement only reechoed the same “misguided and false narrative being peddled by frustrated oil thieves and their cohorts who did not get the pipeline contract of the NNPCL.”
The group said the utterances of a man who rose to the rank of general and one-time minister of defence should not bear semblance with those exploiting the disturbing death of the nation’s military personnel to push an obvious economic interest.
Gen Olarenwaju should be condoling the institution that produced him, the Nigerian Army, at its moment of grief and not to dabble into or stir needless controversy, it stated. “The former Army chief should be concerned about how to track down and arrest those who brazenly assaulted the collective peace, safety and security of this country.”
The group said General Olarenwaju cannot claim ignorance of massive theft of the nation’s oil resources by a “virulent cabal” comprising Nigerians and their evil foreign collaborators which made formers presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari as well as the NNPCL to explore the use of capable private security outfits to complement the efforts of the military and security outfits.
“General Olarenwaju is aware of the relentless pursuit of the oil thieves in the coastal waters and creeks of the Niger Delta with several arrest of rogue vessels in the region by Tantita Security Services Limited,” the group said.
It urged President Bola Tinubu and the NNPCL to continue with the decisive policy against oil theft which has increased oil production and has been been applauded all over the country, noting that no distraction deserves any attention.
“The military assets of the country are already overstretched. Successive presidents have engaged private security outfits to fight the lethal scourge of oil theft in Nigeria. It is not unusual and it is a trend that is commonplace around the world.
“Even developed countries such as the US and the UK also employ the services private security consultants to maximize security of critical assets and facilities.
“Prior to the renewal of the contract of Tantita Security Services, the general had not found it necessary to besiege the media space about the purported inappropriateness of engaging private security outfit to fight oil theft.
“Perhaps, the various feats accomplished by Tantita and the widespread recognition accorded to the company should convince the General that private security outfit do not constitute any danger to the security of the nation’s critical oil pipeline.
“What should be of concern to the general is the sad story of oil theft that made the President and the NNPC to seek proactive response to the problem that threatened the nation’s existence.
“It is shocking that the general is reducing the cold blooded murder of soldiers as a fall out of gang violence in the region. This is an attempt to twist the facts of the matter.
“There is no link between the private security outfits and the gruesome murder of soldiers on lawful duty. This rush to throw curious, unsolicited advice should be beneath him.
“His suggestion is personal opinion inspired by lack of understanding of the story of the nation’s oil sector or a classic case of selective amnesia.
“Such hurried viewpoints seem to suggest that some ingrained interest who are jolted by the gains of the campaigns of oil theft are at work. A General’s statement shouldn’t be in that direction,” IYN said.
