The Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas, (HOSTCOM) has condemned the attack on oil facilities in Rivers State and the recent attack of the personnel of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd, (TSSNL).
In an open.letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, signed by the president of HOSTCOM, His Higness, Dr. Benjamin Style Tamaranebi, the group while applauding the proactive steps being taken by Tinubu to shore up the nations crude output, called out the people perpetrating attacks on oil facilities describing them as enemies of the Niger Delta.
“That foresightedness and courageous actions of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, especially in the oil and gas sector in the last nearly two years, have transformed the landscape and allowed Nigeria to improve its oil production quota significantly and reduce rampant oil theft, is no longer news.
“It’s also obvious that engagement of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL) and other none state actors in the task of policing and securing the nation’s economic assets has yielded tremendous positive outcomes.
It’s in this regard that we commend Mr. President for the confidence he has reposed in Tantita as a critical part of the security architecture for maintaining oil assets in the Niger Delta.
“However, we are not unaware that some disgruntled people are unhappy with our successes and the relief that Mr President’s courageous steps have brought to the country, and especially to local communities in the Niger Delta.
“The recent bombings of oil pipelines and cold-blooded murder of TSSNL personnel in the Niger Delta are reckless acts that threaten not only the stability of our region but also the future of our communities.
They are not acts of heroism but acts of self-destruction.
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“Those who engage in these crimes are not freedom fighters, they are tools in the hands of selfish politicians and criminal syndicates, who care nothing for the Niger Delta or its people”, the open letter read in part.
HOSTCOM further contended that the host communities have endured environmental degradation, economic hardship, and neglect for decades, stressing that the passage of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) was a turning point, ensuring that the communities finally receive direct benefits from the resources extracted from their land.
“The PIA was a hard-earned victory that finally guaranteed the host communities a share of the wealth generated from our land. Billions of naira have already flowed into community trusts, empowering local development initiatives”, the group stated.
It however pointed out that section 257, Subsection 2 of the PIA stimulates that any community that engages in sabotage forfeits these benefits; hence people committing the attacks are robbing their own families and their futures.
“Attacking oil infrastructure weakens Nigeria’s economy and directly robs our communities of the progress we have fought to achieve.
“Let us also be clear about who benefits from this destruction. Not the youths. Not the struggling leaders of the host communities. Not the hard-working people of the Niger Delta. The only winners are the oil thieves, the corrupt politicians and the foreign oil barons, who are eager to see our region remain unstable and underdeveloped.
“The situation in Rivers State is political, and political issues require political solutions. Destroying pipelines and killing security personnel will not resolve these conflicts—it will only make our region more volatile and unlivable. Oil spills poison our rivers, destroy aquatic life, and render our land barren and our youths are left with nothing”, he maintained
The letter further acknowledged that President Tinubu’s administration has taken drastic steps to enforce the PIA, which has ultimately increased oil production and revenue for the region, warning that reckless acts of violence must not destroy the progress.
It said governors in the region have for decades collected 13 percent of derivation from the federal government without doing anything to develop local communities.and thanked president Tinubu, Minister of State for Petroleum, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri and others who have contributed to effective compliance with PIA.
“We urge traditional rulers, community leaders, and responsible citizens to reject violence and report any individuals attempting to incite destruction in our communities.
“The Niger Delta must not be used as a battleground for political struggles that do not serve the interests of its people.
“The government must swiftly crush these criminals and their sponsors, if our persuasive appeals are ignored, before they do irreversible damage.
“Enough is enough. The Niger Delta has suffered for too long. We cannot build a future on sabotage and destruction. Let us rise above the schemes of greedy politicians and criminals. Let’s protect what is ours. Let us choose peace, progress and prospects”
