21 September 2016, Yenagoa – The Iduwini Volunteers Force (IWF) yesterday attributed the persistent attacks on Oil pipelines and emergence of new militant group in the Niger Delta region to the unethical and insincere activities of multinationals oil companies and their local counterpart operating in the region.
The militant group, which operates from one of the richest oil blocs located in Ekeremor local government area of Bayelsa state,said though the ongoing attempts at dialogue by the Federal Government is welcomed, the Oil Multinationals instigate anger and violence with the use divide and rule tactics among host communities.
The new Militant group, the Iduwini Volunteers Force (IWF), in a letter to the National Security Adviser(NSA), Maj. Gen. Babagana Mongunu, frowned at the unethical situation where oil companies refuse to pay indigenous contractors who worked for them.
The group,in the letter dated 16th September, 2016, signed by its Commander, Johnson Biboye, and titled “THREAT TO LIVES OF CONTRACTORS WHO RENDERED CONTRACTUAL SERVICES TO NESTOIL PLC SINCE 2012”, alleged that one of the oil servicing company is owing indigenous contractors over $10 million since 2012 and has sparked off armed agitation in the area.
The group said they have decided to take the case of the unpaid and suffering contractors by themselves with the belief that if they are paid, it will help some of the young men who has become foot soldiers to several militant groups a reason to discontinue their unholy alliance with violence.
It is in one of such moves that we discovered that an indigenous oil servicing firm NESTOIL PLC belonging to one Dr. Earnest Azudialu Obiejesi with the Exploration and Production License for OML 88, Oriri Oil Field engaged the services of more than 12 indigenous contractors with a debt profile of over $10m and deliberately refused to pay them.
“We took this upon ourselves to make case for these indigenous contractors, who have suffered deliberate frustration from Nestoil Plc to recover their money, believing that if they are paid, some of the young men who are now foot soldiers of several militant groups will have no cause to continue with such unholy alliance and the contractors will be free from incessant attacks from banks and other creditors.”
- Leadership
