MILITARY HOUSEBOATS: WITHDRAW YOUR TROOPS FROM GBARAMATU NOW, GBENEKAMA TELLS BUHARI

• Accused military of planning another onslaught against Gbaramatu

• Says military using Niger Delta crisis as a money making venture

• Don’t aggravate the Niger Delta crisis

WARRI – The Chief Mobilization Officer of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Chief Godspower Gbenekama has appealed to President Mohammadu Buhari to withdraw the military houseboats stationed at the waterfronts of Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State.

Chief Godspower, made the appeal in a Press briefing in Warri today, stressing that Gbaramatu Kingdom is at war with no one, wondering on the stationing of Military houseboats in the Kingdom.

According to him, Kokodiagbene, Kenyangbene, Tebujoh, Sengbene, Seitorububor, Ikpokpo, Otunana, Ibafan and Jones Creek all in Gbaramatu Kingdom have been militarised by military houseboats with military formations at Camp 5.

The Chief mobiliser, Gbenekama alleges that militarization of the Niger Delta region have never stopped the militants on their attacks on critical oil facilities in the region while stating that the positioning of the military houseboats at the waterfronts of Gbaramatu Kingdom is capable of derailing the fragile peace experienced in the Niger Delta.

The press release read “It has come to our knowledge that the security forces of Nigeria is planning another onslaught of the people of Gbaramatu Kingdom and they are going to use military houseboats to be stationed right at Oporoza waterfront in the guise of looking for militants. This planned action of the military is capable of derailing the fragile peace that some of us has fought to achieve in the past few months.

“Let it be known that the presence of military houseboats have never stopped these militants from attacking critical oil facilities, to the effect that even pipeline very close to the said military houseboats are attacked either with the connivance of the military or without the military knowing, one wonders on the rational behind stationing military houseboats at the waterfront of Oporoza. We see this plan as an invasion on the privacy of the people of Gbaramatu Kingdom, particularly Oporoza the headquarters of the Kingdom.” Chief Godspower asserted.

It added “We have not forgotten what similar actions have done in our area in the past. Earlier this year, the military people stationed at Ikpokpo who were charged with the responsibility of guarding that node, could not stop militants from blowing up that same node they were suppose to guard not quite 70 meters from their station. Instead of performing other legal duties, they went to Tebujoh/Okpellama and shot a sand scupper to death. If not for the intervention of the Gbaramatu Traditional Council that would have cause a problem. As it is now they are so many military houseboats stationed across the Niger Delta, this has not stopped the militants from attacking if they so desired. As for Gbaramatu Kingdom, it is a military zone, there is a military station in Ikpokpo another military houseboat at Ibafan. There is also a military houseboat at Kenyangbene.

“This is another one in Kokodiagbene, Otunana . Another one in Jones creek, another one in Seiturobubor. There is a big military formation stationed in former Camp 5. There is also a military houseboat in Sengbene. If all these military formation around the Kingdom cannot stop the bombings, why station another in Oporoza waterfront or is somebody somewhere using this as a money making venture? We therefore call on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to quickly call his people to order to save Gbaramatu people from another invasion, harassment, and sudden death from trigger happy military men. We also call on the agitators to sheath their swords so that we do not give the federal government which have foot dragging all these while not to do the needful.” Gbenekama noted

The Gbaramatu Chief also cautions the military not to disrupt the dialogue process initiated by President Mohammadu Buhari on the proposed meeting, he particularly urged stakeholders to be part of the solution in resolving the Niger Delta crises and not to aggravate the already bad situation.

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