FG/Ijaw talks spark ethnic tension in Niger Delta

A large number of Niger Delta stakeholders are not impressed by federal government’s ongoing negotiation with Ijaw militants from which other ethnic groups in the geo-political zone are excluded.

The talks are aimed at ending the continuous destruction of oil/gas installations by the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) which has brought oil production to about 1.2million barrels per day with severe consequences for the economy.

Notable Urhobo and Isoko leaders in Delta State, say the one-sided negotiation will only create more problems than it is seeking to solve.

They are of the view that government should treat the Avengers and others damaging the economy as criminals and not negotiate with them.

The negotiation, it is feared, largely fueled the recent  emergence of  a militant group in Delta  -Utorogu Liberation Movement – which threatened  to blow up the strategic Utorogu Gas Plant and other assets under Oil Mining Lease, OML 34 in the state.


Frontline activist and one-time Secretary-General of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Chief Frank Kokori, said he expected those involved in the destruction of the nation’s assets to be treated as criminals.

The Urhobo and Isoko, speaking through the chairman of OML 30 Community Development Board (CBD), Morris Idiovwa, warned the federal government against dialoguing with those destroying oil and gas assets in the name of the Niger Delta as doing so could only degenerate into a fresh round of ethnic wars in the region.

Some ex-militants, under the third phase of the federal government amnesty programme, who are of Urhobo stock threatened to also destroy  critical oil and gas assets in their area if that is what would  get them federal government’s attention as the Ijaw groups have done.

The Delta State government, reacting to the threat to blow up the Utorogu Gas Plant, convened an emergency security meeting in Jeremi, the headquarters of Ughelli South council area of the state on Thursday.

Asked to comment on the reported negotiation between the federal government and some Ijaw militants, Chief Kokori, who is also a leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State said: “Have they started negotiating with them? I wish them well if they have identified the right people, but to me I regard people who damage federal infrastructure as criminals.


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