By Our Correspondent
OML 30 Community Developmet Board, comprising representatives of Isoko, Urhobo, Itsekiris and Ndokwas, Thursday, decried the destruction of oil facilities in Urhoboland noting that it was not in the character of Urhobos to employ violence in agitating for their rights.
OML 30 is a body put togethere by the government and Joint Venture Partners (JVP) by oil companies for the development of host communities to multinational oil firms operating in Delta Central district in Delta Sate.
Chairman of the Board, Hon. Morris Idiovwa said in a statement that the Urhobos were still mindful of the fact that not all problems were solvable through force of violence.
He therefore appealed to youths in Urhoboland to embrace peace stressing that they should not turn the area to a battle ground which they might regret later, apparently refering to the activities of the militant group, Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate.
“So much as we desire our people and land to receive the appropriate return for their contributions to Nigeria’s national development, through our physical labour and natural resources, we believe there are many routes to access to access the market.
“Urhobo nation has been patient and peaceful and we believe that we are drawing closer to getting our dues from the Nigerian union, therefore, we want to call on all our youths not to give in to the lure and invitation to violence.
“Violence is not our pattern, that is not who we are. We do not want to turn Urhobo land to a battle ground and so we call on all youth groups and their leadership to reach out to all our youths not to start a process that is likely to soil the good name that our fore-fathers bequeathed to
us”, he pleaded.
Hon. Idiovwa decried a couple of unwholesome activities in parts of Urhobo land which he said have led to the destruction of some valuable oil and gas assets.
He said : “Although we have commenced a process of investigation into these sad incidences, we want to believe and state categorically that these attacks are not likely to have been done by Urhobo youths because that is not who we are”.
Hon. Idiovwa therefore assured the federal government and the oil prospecting companies operating in Urhoboland that the board will do all that is needed to be done to end incidences of oil destructions in the area.
“Urhobo land is not known for violence and we are not about to
transform into what we have never been. The incidences that have
happened are greatly regretted even as we condemn these acts of
vandalism in all their ramifications”, he added.
