The Grand Patron of the Ijaw Youth Congress, Collins Eselemo, has reaffirmed that the group’s agitation in the Niger Delta is primarily focused on securing local control over the region’s resources.
Speaking with Arise News on Friday, Eselemo said, “The kernel, the gravamen, and the mainstay of our agitation is centered on controlling our resources; we have to be self-determined and be free with ourselves.
”That is the mainstay. That is the kernel and that is the gravamen.”
Eselemo highlighted that the management of pipeline surveillance contracts in the Niger Delta involves multiple companies.
He cited Tantita, noting that it operates alongside other firms to ensure coordination and system sharing.
“Tantita, if I may say something, they are not the only company responsible for this surveillance thing. There are other companies that are responsible.
”Like Atake, it subsists by location. It gets from Tantita and it also gets from PINL. That is the one the Olu of Warri has been chairman of,” he explained.
Eselemo criticised calls for decentralising pipeline surveillance, arguing they are motivated by personal gain rather than community interest.
“The Boyloaf who is agitating for it to be decentralised, I’m just telling you what he picks: 43 million a month from even amnesty. And you are agitating?
”I see this as an act of anxiousness on the part of the Boyloaf, the Atakes, and these Ogoni people—those who are really agitating for the decentralisation of the pipeline surveillance,” he said.
He stressed that the surveillance contract is shared across multiple stakeholders and is not controlled by any single company.
“It is not in the hands of one person,” Eselemo stated.
Eselemo also cautioned that excessive decentralisation could divert attention from the Niger Delta and potentially create opportunities for illegal bunkering.
“More people have been brought in already! That’s enough! That’s what I mean.
‘:More people have been brought in already. So the fear here is this: as the Grand Patron of the IYC, if I have to say something, what is happening in Iraq is trying to divert attention to Niger Delta, to bring back to status quo this illegal bunkering.
”And the Americans’ investment in this country will be jettisoned, and that will affect the governance,” he warned.
