Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Movement for the Survival of Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta has pledged to partner with the joint military taskforce Operation Delta Safe, to tackle the menace of oil theft, illegal oil bunkering, pipeline vandalism and other crimes in the region.
National President of the group, Mr. Kenedy Tonjo-West, who commended the efforts of Operation Delta Safe in the region, said the partnership would stabilise and boost crude oil production as well as curb criminal activities that lead to insecurity.
Tonjo-West said this when he led members of the group on a courtesy visit to the Commandant of OPDS in in Yenagoa, said the group would collaborate with JTF as it plans to reorient youths of the region.
“We are vigorously fighting against illegalities and violence, and we can’t fight against it without coming to the institution whose mandate it is to make sure that this place becomes investment friendly.
“We are happy that the command has given us the consent to tour the communities to continue to preach against all forms of criminality and every other vices that have continued to make the place inhabitable for investors.
“Whether we like it or not our Niger Delta region has been demarketed and nobody wants to go to a place that has security issues and it should be a thing of concern to any Niger Delta person yearning for development.
“This is because when investors come in, it raises the internally generated revenue and creates employment for the teaming youths and engages people constructively.
“We felt that we owe the Niger Delta that responsibility of reorientating the people to make the place more investment friendly for the region. We will achieve this through community engagement
“MOSIEND is in all the communites in Niger Delta states and we are going to use this structure to make sure that we propagate this message down to all the communities. Once this is done and the youths minds are re- oriented, the Federal Government and State Governments will commend our active role.”
Responding, the Commander of Joint task Force, Operation Delta Safe, Rear Admiral Aminu Hassan, said that the JTF welcomes the partnership
Hassan said that the OPDS will collaborate with MOSIEND to achieve her aim, adding that the Command was ready to assist in any way possible to make sure that the group succeeds.
He explained that the fight against oil theft, illegal refineries, vandalism were economic crimes that deplete resources that accrue to the federal government and requires the support of all stakeholders.
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