Militants Give SPDC 14 Days To Relocate From Community

Just few days after the Presidential poll that saw incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan, losing out to General Mohammadu Buhari, a militant group in Ekeremor local government of Bayelsa state, known as the Iduwini Volunteer Force, IVF, has given a fourteen days ultimatum to the oil giant, Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, to vacate the communities or face unpleasant unrest.

The militants through a letter they wrote to President, Goodluck Jonathan and made available to newsmen in Yenagoa, said the ultimatum became necessary after the oil giant unlawfully terminated a running contract between the community and the company signed in 2007 and after all attempts to make the company see reason have failed.

The militants therefore directed all their unit commanders to be on the red alert, saying that at the end of the 14 days ultimatum, should Shell and its cohorts refuse to see reason, they will have no choice but to commence immediate attacks and processes of restoring their full privilege contained in the said surveillance contract document.

In the letter made available to newsmen, they wrote, “Your Excellency will recall that as Governor of Bayelsa state from 2005 to 2007, you graciously intervened in the lingering crisis between the Iduwini volunteer force and the Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, where it was resolved among others.

“That for the peace, security and safety of oil companies activities within the Iduwini area of SPDC operations, that a running surveillance contract amounting to N8, 002, 350. 00 (Eight million, two thousand, three hundred and fifty naira) per year be awarded to the leadership of the Iduwini Volunteer Force and it was awarded.”

That the surveillance contract which started in 2007 and was dutifully carried out by the leadership of the Iduwini Volunteer Force and payment for 2007 made and while in 2008 without any known breach of contract, SPDC, unilaterally stopped the contract till date., although our boys are still rendering the services of securing oil facilities in the aforementioned areas as contained in the contract paper.”

Having dutifully carried out their side of the bargain, they demand that SPDC as a matter of urgent national importance be directed to pay them their seven years of outstanding arrears and also immediately review the contract upward or face dire consequences.

“That we make this demand in good faith not minding the political situation in the country so that those who do not have the history of our struggle in the Iduwini area will not be quick to add that Ijaw people have started making trouble now that President Jonathan has lost the presidential election.

That our struggle predates President Jonathan’s presidency and the struggle to get our rights and privileges restored has been on and well known to notable government agencies like the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources and notable Nigerians who have intervened to no avail.

The statement added. It will be recalled that in June, 2007, the Iduwini Volunteer Force kidnapped six oil workers including two Germans working for the SPDC in the community which led to the intervention of then Governor of Bayelsa state, Goodluck Jonathan, and the subsequent signing of the surveillance contract in 2007.