Okowa Condemns Attacks on Oil & Gas Facilities in Delta

Delta State Governor, Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Okowa, has condemned the recent attacks on the oil and gas facilities across the state and called on all Deltans to cooperate with the security agencies to unmask the criminals behind the heinous crime.

In a statement on Monday, the Governor urged the security agencies to intensify their surveillance over the oil facilities and pledged the commitment of his administration to restore the confidence of all stakeholders in the oil & gas industry, especially operating in Delta state.

“These attacks should be condemned by all well meaning Nigerians, particularly compatriots from Niger Delta. This is an attack on our soul. The state is bleeding again and its implication for the economy and image of Delta state grave”, he said.

The Governor noted that only last week, his administration hosted a stakeholders’ summit on the effects of the vandalism of oil and gas facilities in the state; where the various arms of the security agencies, the oil and gas operators and the host communities converged to brainstorm on measures to stem the activities of vandals.

He noted that the attacks, coming just few days after the summit, was not a good way of reciprocating the good intentions of his government and the enormous resources being invested in turning around the fortunes of the state.

He called on community leaders and youth groups to resist any temptation to be drawn into these nefarious activities as this might jeopardize the on-going intervention of federal government, in the lives of the youths, through the Amnesty Office.

“Do not be part of this crime and refuse to listen to any leader or politician who would want to pitch one ethnic nationality against the other as a result of these incidents. The destruction of oil facilities is purely criminal and we reject attempts to label it otherwise”, the Governor observed.