Former fighters of the disbanded Niger Delta Liberation Force (NDLF) have endorsed the Federal Government’s decision to engage High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, in the protection of Nigeria’s oil and gas infrastructure, describing the move as a stabilising force in the restive Niger Delta.
The ex-agitators, in a statement released on Friday in Warri, Delta State, said the pipeline surveillance contract awarded to Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, alongside other former Niger Delta fighters, had contributed significantly to the relative calm currently being enjoyed in the region.
Signed by the group’s former spokesman, Captain Mark Anthony, the statement noted that involving trusted stakeholders from oil-producing communities in securing critical national assets had helped reduce hostilities and foster cooperation between locals and the authorities.
While commending the Federal Government for the initiative, the former fighters stressed that peace in the Niger Delta remained delicate and could be threatened if longstanding developmental challenges were left unaddressed.
They argued that sustainable peace could not be achieved through security measures alone, insisting that meaningful development and improved living standards were essential to prevent a relapse into unrest.
The group according to Punch report lamented that many communities, particularly in Ijaw areas, still lacked basic social amenities, including clean drinking water, functional healthcare facilities, electricity, good road networks and standard educational infrastructure.
They further criticised the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), accusing the agency of failing to live up to its mandate over the years, despite huge financial allocations meant to improve the lives of residents of oil-producing areas.
According to the ex-agitators, the persistent neglect of the region posed a serious security risk, especially as younger people who did not witness the violence of previous conflicts might become aggrieved by the continued underdevelopment of their communities.
The group warned that unresolved grievances could fuel renewed agitation in the future, with possible implications for national stability and global energy security.
They therefore urged the Federal Government to strengthen its support for peace-building efforts in the Niger Delta by pairing security initiatives with deliberate investments in infrastructure and social development across the region.
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