NIGER DELTA CONFLICTS

The Ijaws as may be seen from the list of Nigerian tribes were this way said victims of a whole management. Year after year we were squeezed tightly in very mean chains and led through a dark alley of constant (forever) political and social (not having something wanted or needed).Strangers in our own country! Unavoidably, therefore, a day would have to come for us to fight for our long-denied right to (deciding on your future and then making sure it happens).

INTRODUCTION
The above statement of Major Boro could not be prevented as the Nigerian State continued with its differential treatment and (when something is kept out or not included) of the Ijo(Ijaw)people - the (people that have existed from the beginning (in Australia)) of the Niger Delta -from full (related to how much money and power people have) participation in the oil and gas industry in their (land area owned or controlled by someone) by the three most in control/most common groups/tribes in the country. It is for this reason that many writers have argued that the Federal Government policies are responsible for the oil and gas related conflicts.

These policies have resulted in friction between the Oil-Producing Communities (OPCs) andStates (OPSs) on the one hand, and the Federal Government and MNOCs, on the other hand.The frictions have (not very long ago) developed into violent conflicts and I have earlier highlighted some of them. As part of a complete and thorough study of conflicts in the NigerDelta Region then, the Niger Delta Forum Study Group (that I Chair) has completed a major work in this area. In the work, we importance and focused the history of each case, how it was managed and resolved, and the effects/results/suggestions for the future (Etekpe, et al, 2006)and I do not want to copy it. Be that as it may, the cases in this Chapter expose the hidden(under) unquantified costs caused by the people, and, together, they give meaning to the repeating (every year) conflicts in Bayelsa State and the Niger Delta Area. 

the study finds that 86.6 percent of the conflicts over oil and gas in the Area results from MNOCs' non-loyalty to the terms and conditions of Written note of Understanding (MOUs) entered into by MNOCs and their host communities. This rate is high because of the "in a weird way (because of wrong thinking) based negative" attitude of MNOCs and the Federal Government. I believe, such negative attitudes and practices should change for better as we study the results of the following 8 cases in this Chapter.

SELECTED OIL AND GAS RELATED CASES

1) Number (Ogbolomabiri-Bassambiri) Serious problem over Control of Oil Companies' Money Ogbolomabiri and Bassambiri in Nembe City State are the same (family relatives or things that existed long, long ago), the two towns are separated by a narrow creek. I was told that the two towns had an argument over the usual stool of Amanyanabo in the late 18th century. The argument (conflict) (fell apart/mentally weak or sick) to the point where Ogbolomabiri (without being forced) moved to the other side of the creek. The Older (people) of Nembe City State then applied traditional (tools or objects used to do work or measure something) to manage the conflict until the discovery of oil extracted from the ground in the area (i.e. Dieu and Nembe Creek) by SPDC in 1976. Texaco-Chevron further discovered another oil flow station in the area in 1987. The discovery of oil and gas complicated the conflict and both towns have fought bitter shared wars on-and-off since then.

It was possible that at the centre of the conflict since 1987 are two rival Chiefs - Chief Barigha Amangi and Chief Jonathan Lionel-Omo. They have (claimed to be) put pressure on SPDC, NAOC and Texaco-Chevron operating in the area to pay "protection" and "stand-by" money to their gang of young people who stayed at home for (claimed to be) protecting the oil companies operating in the area. Each of the Chiefs has his own groups of armed citizens and they claim (quality of being better than everything else) over the other.

The shared war increased/got worse in 1995 over the control of oil companies, and the then Military Governor of old Rivers State, Col. Dauda Komo set up a Commission of Question/request for information. The Commission submitted its Reports in 1996 but it was not discussed and the war (suddenly became visible/shot matter up and out) again in 2001. This time, the then Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief D.S.P Alamieyeseigha made up/was equal to another Commission of Question/request for information as it was before; the Report was also dumped and never discussed. So, the conflict stayed around. At Ogbolomabiri, the youth gang of Chief Among fought those of Chief Jonathan-Omo and caused (large/relatively large) loss of lives. They held the whole community to ransom and took control of all money coming to the community from MNOCs. At a point, it even decided/figured out who became the Chairman of the Local Government (the furogroup of people who advise or govern) or Amanyanabo of the town.

It should be noted that the youth gangs or groups applied the usual titles of "agbfuro " (family of the snapper fish), "isongu furo" (family of the small fish), and "isenasawo/teme Ogbo" (the group of nine/the spirit motivated/brought about) to (make legal/make acceptable) their operation. Be that as it may, their activities became sounding the same as/equal to "cult" and they were generally troublemaker (or troublemaking).

The conflict became further complicated when the Brass Local Government Headquarters that was at Ogbolomabiri - Nembe was changed to Bassambiri - Nembe in 1996. It was possible that the change was put into place/was happening through the effort of Rear High-ranking navy officer Ombu (Rtd.) when he was a member of the non-functioning Armed Forces Ruling the group of people who advise or govern). Bassambiri - Nembe was the place (where someone was born) of his mother. This created another round of violence and the (law-related) Commission set up by Governor Alamieyeseigha's Management did not make any hit/effect as its Reports were not again acted upon.

I gathered that the (law-related) Commission, (claimed to be), held Chiefs Amangi and Jonathan-Omo deserving blame for the horrifying crimes committed in Nembe over their struggle for (being stronger and better than everything else) and control of oil money. The Report also accused (of a crime) the youth gangs for forcing MNOCs operating in Nembe City State to pay "stand-by" money, as well as attacking passengers on boats that did not obey their demands. The Commission recommended drawing up a formal Constitution where the power structure, control and management of useful things/valuable supplies, and (machine/method/way) for (rebuilding/renewal) of peace will be spelt out. In fast reaction, Governor Alamieyeseigha set up a Peace and Making up (from an argument) Committee headed by Lady Mercy Alagoa in 2001. The Committee had (more than two, but not a lot of) discussions with the (people who are interested in a project or business), and the result of it was a re-true and positive statement of drawing up a Constitution and its putting into use. Be that as it may, there was no political will on the part of the Government of Bayelsa State as such; the Committee did not (accomplish or gain with effort) much.

The Ogbolomabiri - Bassambiri conflict has not yet been settled, and it resurfaces during political activities, especially during elections and appointments. As it stays around, SPDC, NAOC and Texaco-Chevron continue to drill oil and gas without paying the usual pain-relievings to the communities.

2) The Odi Serious problem over useful thing/valuable supply Control and Management

Although the Odi serious problem was not as a direct result of oil and gas, it is traced to it. This is because, the Odi serious problem was an offshoot of the Ijaw Youth the group of people who advise or govern) struggle for useful thing/valuable supply control and management that ended in the "Kaiama (official, public statement/document with such a statement)" of 1998.

In the dawn of the Kaiama (official, public statement/document with such a statement) in 1998, the Federal Government refused to respond and left the act of actually resolving the serious problem to luck and chance. The luck and chance took (more than two, but not a lot of) dimensions, beginning in April, 1999. On April 19, 1999, in the waters around Ikebiri Community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, the Joint Military Job Force shot seven young people to death and hurt (more than two, but not a lot of) others without encouragement (to fight). The military personnel were invited by the Nigerian Agip Oil Company Ltd. (NAOC). The cause of the (without any reason) killing and badly injuring was that there was disagreement between Ikebiri Community and NAOC over payment for spillage, and some young people went ahead to disrupt work in a nearby flow station. Instead of exercising caution and eventually (capturing/understanding) those responsible for it, a boat loaded with passengers that was traveling to Yenagoa was shot carelessly. On October 3, 1999, a "poor" youth earning his living from riding motorcycle was again shot dead in Yenagoa, capital of Bayelsa State because he resisted the theft (by threatening) of twenty Naira from a military security officer. That, too, ended without (act of asking questions and trying to find the truth about something) and there was no payment paid to the family of the dead

.

 In the early hours of October 26, 1999, residents in Ajegunle woke up to face an attack on Ijaw people. They badly injured and killed, as well as destroyed and burnt houses belonging to Ijaw people. This was done by Oodua Peoples Congres(OPC) - military arm of the Yoruba tribe. It lasted for (more than two, but not a lot of) days as the Police response was delayed, and when the Police eventually responded, it was thinly distributed compared to the Oodua People's Congress(OPC) attackers. Some of the victims of the OPC attack were brought to University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (Add on 5-1). I also visited them, and was briefed by their leader, Mr. Gbassa. At the briefing, he gave me the Communique (Add on 5-2) of the peace meeting with all (people who are interested in a project or business) to the serious problem, as well as, distributed the list of victims of the premidiated attack on the Ijaws.

When news of this event in Ajegunle filtered into Odi, the second largest Ijaw Community in Bayelsa State, there were reactions; and when the police wanted to (ask lots of questions about/try to find the truth about) and stop/quiet the reactions, few criminals among the young people prevented the Police from doing their job. Their argument was that the Police in Ajegunle in Yorubaland did not do their job that's the reason for the OPC took over rule - killing, badly injuring and destroying property belonging to Ijo people, in which Odi indigenes were (including everything). So, they did not see any reason why the police should are in control in Odi. While this was going on, Odi Chiefs and Older (people) reported the presence of some of the undesirable youth leaders in their middle to the Police in Yenagoa. Before their report, the Police Officer in Odi had also reported the development to their Headquarters in Kaiama and Yenagoa.

It was under that situation/event that the Bayelsa State Police Command sent a Senior Police Officer of Yoruba origin to lead six others to learn (or check) the situation in Odi. Based on my independent (act of asking questions and trying to find the truth about something) at the time, the team was (gave opinions about what could or should be done about a situation) against beginning the mission to Odi under that tense situation/event, but they did not listen to the (opinions about what could or should be done about a situation). Moreso, some of the criminals were lords in the famous (for something bad) Yenagoa (where people buy and sell stolen things) where they were thrown out (of a house or apartment) and the area was destroyed down by Police led by the said Senior Officer from Yorubaland. The criminals recognized him at Odi town that afternoon of November 4, 1999. At this point (in time), the protest of the young people was unconsciously extended to criminal behavior, when a few criminals (captured by the use of force) and eventually killed the seven police officers.

This was, no doubt, wrong by all standards even though it was a reaction to the killing and badly injuring of their male relatives in Ajegunle, Lagos. On November 8, 1999, the issue was formally scheduled for careful thinking at the (group of people who advise or govern) of State meeting during which the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, not only talked about/said the names of the officers involved but their states of origin. He then decided that Odi Community should produce the criminals of the crime. The wisdom in talking about/saying their states of origin clearly (in danger of disappearing forever) the safety of Bayelsa indigenes anywhere in a (related to groups of people who have the same history) plural country like ours.

Following this, the former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo sent a letter to the then Governor of the State, Chief D.S.P. Alamieyeseigha on November 10, 1999, strongly encouraging him to get the criminals of the crime arrested and (started a trial in court against someone/performed an action) within fourteen days or he would declare a state of emergency on Bayelsa State without further notice/communication. No doubt, Alamieyeseigha was the then Chief Security Officer of the State, but (in an unexpected yet interesting way (where something happened that's the opposite of what is expected)) and (in a way that agrees with or is related to the Constitution), the Police and State Security Service(SSS) were not under his control. Instead, the Police was controlled by the Inspector-General. What's more, from Mr. President's tone in the letter, the whole Bayelsa State makes up a safe place for criminals, hence a (non-military related) governor who does not control any force, would be strongly encouraged to produce criminals in any remote village. On his part, Governor Alamieyeseigha invited older people and leadership of Ijaw National Congress(INC) and Bayelsa Forum(BF) for an extremely important meeting at Government House in Yenagoa on Saturday, November 13, 1999 at 1300 hours. The meeting was to think about appropriate response to Mr. President's letter of November 10, 1999. I was invited to attend that extremely important meeting as the Vice Chairman of Bayelsa Forum. The meeting recommended (more than two, but not a lot of) appropriate measures that eventually turned away/avoided the (official, public statement/document with such a statement) of a state of emergency.

It is typical and highly expected of majority (groups of people related by culture, race, religion, etc.)' policies, I am convinced by historical earlier events that the former President clearly over-reacted as the event (being thought about carefully) affected just Odi town. I, therefore, did not see reason why a state of emergency on the whole state was even understood/created. Instead of the Nigeria Police Force(NPF) as a purely professional security outfit carefully weighing the issues involved and then moving to Odi town to arrest the law-breakers as the case of late Mr. Lawrence Anini in Bendel (Edo) State in the mid-eighties, the former President decided on Military Option. And when Mr. President, who was earlier communicating with Governor Alamieyeseigha on the matter, sent soldiers to the State, the Governor was not taken into confidence. Instead, the Governor was on another mission to Abuja on the invitation of Mr. President and on return to the State after the assignment, soldiers had already destroyed Odi town. He was helpless because Mr. President had earlier charged him (with a crime) of involvement with crime in the event.

After some resistance by the youth groups, the soldiers took/taken (prisoners) by force Odi town in the evening of November 20, 1999. Maybe, burning with a desire to angrily face/stand up to a set of criminals that have caused/started and caused them some destruction but discovering that the criminals were nowhere, the soldiers went ahead to "killing of many people" any creature found in the town. What's more, they destroyed most buildings in the community, in the course of which unknowably big or valuable property was destroyed and about 3,000 people were killed. These people were mainly children and old people (who lawfully live in a country, state, etc.) that were trapped in the town when the soldiers arrived.

There was a huge, sudden flow of snow (or work) of feelings of love, hate, fear, etc. and many people raised questions such as, Is it appropriate that an (in a way where everyone gets to decide) elected President should send military forces to a remote village to stop/quiet a purely security matter without the permission or approval of the National Assembly Why has the President not dealt with the Oodua Peoples Congress as they continue to kill Police and security workers/secret agents in Lagos and priding themselves to continue as a (related to a group of people with the same race, culture, religion, etc.) army And since an extreme problem calls for an equally extreme solution, and military forces were in the same way/in that way sent, has the problem been solved

When I first visited Odi town on December 26, 1999, the town was like a graveyard. I was told that even though the Police and the military forces had their deaths, the community lost everything they had worked for. I wondered whether it would not have served Nigeria better if the Federal Government had shown maturity in slowly and in an organized way tracing and watching and following the criminals, as was done later. Again, the only explanation that really came to me was that it was a repeating disagreement between two things in the Politics and Policies over Oil and Gas in the Niger Delta Area of Nigeria.

In case of Odi town, the few criminals in a sudden and unplanned way (turned from a straight path to avoid something) from a protest to criminal behavior when the Chiefs and Older (people) had already told the Police; and yet, the town was (suddenly entered a place in an unwanted way). When I think about/believe it against the Ajegunle, Lagos serious problem that was a properly planned and pre-planned act, the Oluwa Family (the traditional owners of Ajegunle) that was in-the-know about the acts, should have been equally punished. After all, Mr. Gbassa narrated how the Oluwa family given information of houses owned by the Ijaws in Ajegunle that were burnt down. Unlike Odi town, the Baale of the Aworis (Ajegunle) and his (group of people who advise or govern) of Chiefs, and the Chairman and Politicians of Ifelodun Local Government Area had pre-knowledge of the meant hatred in their domain but they all allowed it to happen.

The Odi town killing of many people was, no doubt, a trying one for the Niger Delta struggle. It simply involves (deciding on your future and then making sure it happens) and useful thing/valuable supply control within the Nigerian Federation. This should, normally not border on any criminal behavior like badly injuring, killing, theft (by threatening) or hostage-taking. As A. Femowei, (2000, 9-13) puts it, "certainly, the people have every cause to be unhappy, given the amount of neglect and destruction of their surrounding conditions. The people have, in fact, suffered for the much they have given for Nigeria's continued survival".

Whereas he sees himself as a de-tribalised person (who is a very wise leader in government), Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is by kit and family a Yoruba man. These events in Ajegunle, Lagos and Odi town make up/be equal to a test of his calibre as a national leader. His male relatives who in the first instance did not want him to be their President as pointed to/showed in the results of the polls during his election in 1999, steadily planting time-bombs on his path to succeeding. He would have lend his ears to the rules of history, and looked beyond his (related to a group of people with the same race, culture, religion, etc.) brothers before acting. His outing on the Odi town event underlines overreaction and should attract questions if he had a boss. To reduce the amount of (seriousness/ level), history would judge him whether he was a democratic President. He owes the surviving Odi older (people), women, young people and children an apology even though I am not expecting it as his people or things that came before have not done so for Oloibiri Community.