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Warri Poll: Ijaw Group Gives Oil Firms Ultimatum

Daily Champion (Lagos)
NEWS
December 16, 2004
Posted to the web December 16, 2004

By Segun James
Warri
FRESH threat to oil companies in the Niger Delta came yesterday as the militant
Federated Niger Delta Ijaw Communities (FNDIC) issued a 14-day ultimatum to the
firms and their workers to quit the area or face dire consequences.
The ultimatum began yesterday and is coming barely three months after Alhaji
Mujahid Dokubo-Asari of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF) ordered
all oil firms out of the zone, a matter which required presidential
intervention.
The FNDIC, accused of blowing up flow stations and oil facilities belonging to
Shell and Chevron/Texaco last year, anchored its threat on the Delta State
government's upholding of the controversial council poll in Warri.
Demanding that the state government cancel the poll result "as no election took
place in Warri," FNDIC, in a statement signed by its president, Dr. Bello Oboko
and four others, said Ijaw will be forced to take their destiny in their own
hands once the ultimatum expires.
The FNDIC statement was also signed by Chiefs Government Ekpemupolo, Director
of Mobilization; Philip Tonfawei, Adviser; Godspower Ebenekama, Adviser and
Nelson Ogelegbanwei, Adviser.
Acknowledging that the Ijaws did not take part in the poll neither did other
groups and yet the state government declared results, the FNDIC vowed to
unleash the wrath of the people on the government.
"All expatriates and Nigerian personnel of multinationals and their contracting
firms opewrating in Warri South West be advised to vacate their locatikons as
disenfranchisement, pipeline explosion, oil spills, militarisation and use of
force of arms may become the order of the day," FNDIC warned.
The group restated that no election took place in Warri neither was there any
registration for the poll.
They said for peace to reign in the area, their demand must be met even as the
group enlarged the demands to include the immediate sack of Dr. Roland
Ortisejeafor as the Minister of State for Defence.
They also demanded the quick return of a 19 speed boats given to the Gbaramatu
traditional ruler by ChevronTexaco that was "forcefully taken away by a
combined team of Nigerian military in March, 2003 along the Escravos River."
A text message sent to Mr. Abel Oshevire, Special Assistant on Media and
Publcity to Gov. James and Ibori, for official reaction to FNDIC's threat, was
neither acknowledged nor responded to by him.

   

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