By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South, Simon Ebegbulem, Emma Arubi and Paul Bebenimibo
Posted to the Web: Saturday, January 28, 2006

But given the high-powered committee set up by the Federal Government to secure the release of the hostages and the unmistakable directive to the Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger-Delta to rescue the captives from the lion’s jaw, their freedom was only seen as a matter of days but two weeks and three days after the kidnap, the committee is yet to achieve the ultimate goal which is the foreigners’ freedom. The kidnappers, however, are the ones talking tough.

It is viewed in official quarters that agreeing to the demands of the rebels to release the former governor of Bayelsa state, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha and leader of the Niger-Delta Peoples Volunteer Front (NDPVF), Alhaji M. Asari-Dokubo, who are respectively standing trial for money laundering and treasonable felony in a barter for the hostages, will tantamount to a sovereign government abdicating its sovereignty to hooligans.

Yet, the group, which had killed some policemen and soldiers and blown up a number of oil installations in the country, threatens not to release the oil workers but to cause more havoc if their demands are not met. So, should the government call their bluff and deploy the military to liberate the hostages and capture the militants dead or alive? The matter is now at a critical phase and the way it is handled will have some implications, both within and outside Nigeria.

With the abductions, killings of security personnel and destruction of oil installations, this is not the best of times for this hugely-populated country called Nigeria. There has been so much unease in the international community following the attacks, causing oil prices to continue to rise in the world market.

Back home, there is such a palpable tension in the land, especially in the troubled Niger-Delta region where frightened villagers had since begun to flee from their homes for fear of reprisal attack from the Federal Government as it happened in Odi (Bayelsa) and Zaki-Biam (Benue) when some soldiers and policemen were killed.

Besides the call for Alamieyeseigha and Asari-Dokubo’s release, the militants said they were also fighting for the control of the resources of the Niger-Delta region. Those who actually wear the shoe here are the people of the Niger-Delta and they know where it pinches most. They are the people who suffer ecological damage and all sorts of expoiltation due to oil exploration, leaving the comatose in the poverty-stricken creeks.

President Olusegun Obasanjo, Thursday, was as emphatic as ever that his government would not bow to terrorists, even as he had earlier Wednesday reacted to the the attacks by gun men on oil facilities and banks within the Agip compound in Port Harcourt, the day before.

While directing the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero to track down the perpetrators of the crimes and to forestall any reoccurence of the ugly events, the President expressed his condolences to the families of the eight policemen and one civilian who lost their lives in Tuesday’s attacks.

But what is the way out of these avoidable deaths, abduction and vandalisation of oil installations? What can the government do to resolve the crises? In which way can the hostages be freed? Saturday Vanguard spoke to some elders and youth leaders of the geo-political zone on the siege on the region; what they make of the entire sordid affair and the way forward.

It is believed that if the parties concerned hearken to these words of wisdom from the elders and the people concerned, perhaps, it may help to lessen the tension in the land and the steady decline into anarchy.

Jemide: This action won’t help

The Otsodin of Warri, Chief Isaac Jemide said the kidnap of the four foreign oil workers in Bayelsa state is the height of lawlessness.
“I don’t think this action (kidnap) will get the government to release Alamieyeseigha and Asari-Dokubo in order to get the hostages released. No, it’s not the solution to the many problems in the Niger Delta region.
“There are better ways to go about solving the multiple problems of the region. Yes, we have a lot of problems here but I do not support this act.”

‘It’s no cowardice to dialogue with ‘em’

Warri-based lawyer, Dr. Emmanuel Urhobo who spoke in the same vein like Oyegun said that it was wrong for any person or group of persons to give condition to government for the release of the hostages they kidnapped, saying that encouraging their demands will be encouraging chaos.
“I support the release of the foreign nationals but government should be committed to discussing the grievances of the militants with them. It is no cowardice to do so. Besides, they can be prevailed to drop their hard-line posture.”

He said that rather than use the release of Alamieyeseigha and Asari-Dokubo as condition for the release of the hostages, what one should be talking about is their being giving fair hearing and speedy trial for “justice delayed is justice denied”.

Involve religious leaders — Mamamu

Chairman of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Western zone, Chief Samson Mamamu does not want the authorities to use force to free the hostages or to make a statement. “We should avoid anything that will make this incident escalate because if it does, the crisis will be more disastrous than before. The committee set up by the President should do an honest job. They should be sincere and anybody involved in the negotiations must be genuine.

“The rumour now is that many of the people acting as contacts between the government and the kidnappers are not genuine. It is also my advice that very few traditional rulers should be involved. Then, some God-fearing religious leaders should also be involved so that the joint efforts of the royal fathers and the religious people will yield result.

“As for using force, we do not advise that the government should deploy soldiers to start threatening innocent souls. That will create more confusion and even jeopardise the aim that is being pursued. If these things are done, we may succeed in getting out the victims.”

Our advice —Itsekiri, Ijaw youth leaders

Itsekiri youth leader, Mr. Itsekure Mathew condemns the killings of soldiers and policemen because “these things portray us (Niger-Delta people) in bad light. To kidnap foreigners doesn’t help the Niger-Delta struggle in any way. It is an embarrassment to the country before the international community.
“My advice is that the government should apply any peaceful measure to get the problem resolved. The use of force should be the last resort because it really does not help any side because there may be casualties on both sides.”

Also speaking, the chairman of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Western zone, Mr. David Reje sees the issue of the kidnapped expatriates as a very complex one, and one caused by the neglect of the Niger Delta region by the Federal Government.

According to him, “in most cases, the oil companies prefer to cater more for the welfare of the security agents more than what the needs of the indigenes are. Most times, the indigenes make some demands, like cases of MOU signed with these companies, and they are not fulfilled.

“What government should do is to negotiate with the militants, and not to use force. But after the hostages would have been freed, one would expect the oil companies to begin to keep to their agreements with the host communities.”

He backs the call for the release Asari-Dokubo because “he’s fighting for his people. He’s a freedom fighter.” On the killing of security personnel and abduction of foreigners, Reje says these actions “are sad but I implore the military to exercise restraint because military action will not help. What I can say for now is that the Bayelsa state government is doing what it is supposed to do as a government. It should call the kidnappers to order because it is even the government that made these people so courageous.

“They used them for elections and after the elections, nothing happened, many of them were not empowered. So, they pounced on the nearest prey they can lay their hands on. Most of the politicians used these people during elections. And after using them, they dumped them. So, that’s what you get.

“I equally advise the kidnappers not to harm the hostages because the issue of fighting for resource control is internationally known. And I believe that the Ijaw people should come together and make a case and send a delegation to the home countries of these multinationals and present our cases. Then the kidnappers should please exercise restrain too because of the future and the integrity of our people. We beg them to release the expatriates to the government and table their demands to the authorities to look into. I appreciate the fact that they did not take the foreigners because of money.”

‘Arresting Ijaw youth leaders won’t help’
Already, security agents have arrested three Ijaw youth leaders in connection with the many crises while many are on the run. One of them is the deputy president of the IYC, Mr. ThankGod Seibi. Seibi spoke to Saturday Vanguard from his hideout.

“Many IYC leaders and members have been listed as the people behind the incident and they want to arrest them. Some like the spokesman, Peter Ajube, assistant secretary, Bailbond and Boro Opudu have been arrested for no just cause. The allegation was that they were behind the cases of kidnap and killings. We are all surprised. Our hands are tied because government wants to arrest people including me. So, we’re all running.

“My advice to the youths that are responsible for the hostage-taking is that they should temper justice with mercy, and for the sake of the Ijaw nation, release these people. On the part of the Federal Government, I strongly advise them not to make further arrest of Ijaw youth leaders because that can only worsen the situation.”