Coordinator of
Niger Delta Riverine Protection Program, Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (retd)
yesterday read the riot act to militants who bomb oil pipelines. The special
presidential committee which was named last week, is expected to recover
illegal weapons and curtail the spate of bombings and other crimes in the
region.
Daily Sun
spoke to Gen. Danjuma after the committee’s inauguration.
He said: “Yes,
I know the job will be tough, but I am experienced and I understand the terrain
so, I know I will make the President proud.”
Danjuma also
said he will hold series of sensitisation across Niger Delta to engage the
youths and warn them on the dangers of their action especially as it affects
the nation.
“I have
accepted this responsibility with every sense of humility, responsibility and
patriotism. I am conscious of the fact that we cannot achieve the purpose for
which this program is created without the active support of the stakeholders in
the region and beyond.
When asked
about his job description, Gen. Danjuma said:
“What I am supposed to do as the name implies is to stop the spate of
bombings in Niger Delta, recover arms and sensitise the people particularly the
youths on why they should not go into destroying their own land.
“The danger is
that at the end of the day our people suffer more when these bombings occur.
Our people are suffering. The answer to the problem is not bombing, but to
engage the government and make sure our people benefit from the laudable
programs that are being put in place for our people. Whose land is suffering?
Who are the end losers? So, the new narrative is let our boys lay their arms
and let government take care of the people as it should be. Confronting the
government will not help our case,” he said.
On his plan of
action, General Danjuma said: “In the next few days we shall be meeting with
critical stakeholders in the region to unveil our detailed program of action.
We are also organizing Town Hall meetings with all these critical stakeholders
across all the states of the South-South region on the dangers of bombings and
for them to also tell us their problems. We will tell them what the Federal
Government has in store for them. Some of the South-South governors have been
contacted and the response was very positive. Don’t forget that the committee
will also be working with the Ministry of the Niger Delta Affairs in liaison
with the office of the National Security Adviser,” he said.
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