Osinbajo To Niger Delta Militants: People Don’t Destroy Facilities Meant To Help Them

BEVERLY HILLS, November 22, (THEWILL) – Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has stated that the vandalism of pipelines and oil installations in the Niger Delta amounts to destroying facilities meant to help the people of the region, telling those behind such destruction that nobody else in the world destroys facilities that are supposed to help them.

According to a statement issued by the Vice President's Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, he stated this while receiving the Urhobo Leaders of Thought led by its president, Chief Tuesday Onoge and the Delta APC gubernatorial candidate in the 2015 elections, Olorogun Ortega Emerhor, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

While noting that “so much damage is being done, governments will come and go, but this damages will ultimately destroy people's livelihoods, aspirations and their future”, Osinbajo declared that: “nobody else anywhere in the world will destroy the facilities meant to help them, there is no benefit whatsoever from the destruction”.

He assured that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari would continue its outreach to leaders and groups in the Niger Delta in seeking peaceful solution to the crisis, and called for understanding, especially on the part of the leaders of the region stressing that destruction and damage “does not lead to anything good”.

On the opened channels of communication and negotiation with the Niger Delta leaders and representatives, the Vice President assured that Buhari has shown exemplary leadership and is someone that can be trusted once he gives his word.

He said of his principal, “He is quiet, but fiercely determined, once he makes up his mind and gives his word”, encouraging the Niger Delta people to work with the President.

Welcoming the Urhobo leaders, Osinbajo, in the statement issued on Tuesday, commended the leadership and understanding of the Urhobo Leaders of Thought.

Speaking earlier, Onoge lamented that if the money sent to the Niger Delta in the last 16 years were judiciously spent, the people of the region would have benefitted. He then asked rhetorically “What happened to these monies?

Pledging support to the Federal Government, the leader of the delegation said the group condemns the vandalism of oil and gas installations in the Niger Delta in its entirety and offered to assist in furthering peace in the area.

Onoge went on to state that the group is in support of the anti-corruption drive of the Buhari administration.