Hegemony of Resource Control: ‘Cankerworm’ of militancy

Since oil was discovered in January 1956 at Oloibiri (now Bayelsa state), resource control and equitable distribution of revenue became a major bone of contention. Although various policies were formulated with a view to addressing our differences, none seemed to have justifiably worked.  The derivation principle of the 1958 Raisman Commission Report, which allocated 50 […]

Since oil was discovered in January 1956 at Oloibiri (now Bayelsa state), resource control and equitable distribution of revenue became a major bone of contention. Although various policies were formulated with a view to addressing our differences, none seemed to have justifiably worked. 
The derivation principle of the 1958 Raisman Commission Report, which allocated 50 per cent of the oil proceeds to the Niger Delta was repealed by the Supreme Military Council under Federal Military Decree no. 23 of 1966. Subsequently, the 1969 Petroleum Decree Act stressed the exclusive power of the federal government over oil extracted in the country. While agitation for proportional control on oil persisted in the regions, neglected environmental degradation from frequent oil spillage fuelled the amber of militancy. The unrest grew worse, which led to the emergence of various militant groups. The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) and the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) championed the course. In 1990, MOSOP was able to draw international attention to its declaration, Ogoni Bill of Rights, which stipulated the necessity of oil privileges. Sadly, MOSOP’s founder, Ken Saro-Wiwa and nine other leaders were executed in November 1995, by the military government of late Gen. Sani Abacha.
During the tenure of former President Obasanjo, he involved the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) for the clean-up of Ogoniland. But things got sour by the sad incident that happened in Kolokuma/Opokuma, Odi community, Bayelsa State, on November 4, 1999. The Nigerian soldiers had leveled Odi, following social protest by armed youths which claimed the lives of seven policemen under unexplainable circumstances. The protest was not unconnected to the environmental degradation of the region and the agitation for resource control. Although an emergency projects worth $50 million was awarded to revamp the region, the needless casualties of civilian bystanders would have been averted had the government shown considerable civility in handling the situation. Even in 2000, Obasanjo created the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and a 25-year Niger Delta Regional Development Master Plan (NDRDMP) in 2007 in the bid to resolve the problem. 
The militants’ activities became a thorn in the flesh of the administration of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua. Their activities were characterised by incessant bombing of oil pipelines and kidnapping of oil expatriates. Groups like the Niger Delta People’s Salvation Front (NDPSF), Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force (NDPVF), and Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) were bent on shorting down the country economy. It is sad that the formation of the various armed groups clearly shows that the agitation has been shifted from the general well-being of the people in the region to selfish aggrandisement. Nonetheless, Yar’Adua created the Niger Delta Ministry while he also inaugurated the amnesty programme in June 2009, as recommended by the Technical Committee on the Niger Delta. The programme afforded thousands of the repented militants ample opportunities in vocational courses in Nigeria and overseas, while maritime contracts worth billions of naira were awarded to the militant leaders.
Hope rose to the crescendo when Dr Goodluck Jonathan succeeded Yar’Adua. It is understandable that his administration was not threatened by the militants. It is, however, shocking that the UNEP report was left unattended throughout his tenure. But when Gen. Buhari became President, he shocked the people when he approved the implementation of the UNEP report and the Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration Project (HYPREP) in August 2015 and launched the clean-up of Ogoniland in June 2016. Unfortunately, the emergence of the Avengers became a course for concern by the bombings of oil installations. However, just as the President promised to listen to grievances of fellow Nigerians, he offered them dialogue but they declined.
Taking holistic view of the Niger Delta problem, it appears that the region has not been totally abandoned, considering the aforementioned various programmes that were geared towards addressing the issues. On the contrary, it is sad that government has been throwing money at issues, enriching selected militant leaders, who have the wherewithal to take on government, at the expense of the grass roots who bear the brunt of the problem. It is obvious that the so-called avengers are not fighting for the people; but rather, their pockets.
Based on Section 14 (2b) of the 1999 Constitution, it is important that President Buhari protects life and property by dealing decisively with the militants and their sponsors. It is equally of paramount importance that the military operate within the Rule of Engagement (ROE) without incurring collateral damage of the Odi massacre. Sadly, Section 2(4) of the Revenue Allocation Act of 1981 which provides considerable allocation for the development of oil-rich regions was ‘assassinated’ by Section 162 (2) of the 1999 Constitution. It is unfortunate that the Rilwanu Lukman Oil and Gas Industry Committee (OGIC) which birthed the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) in 2007 is being ignored. Yet, the bill is meant to address salient issues that have been fanning the amber of militancy. Equally, the 2014 National Conference report that proffers solutions to our differences, especially on the Niger Delta issue, has been thrown into the achieves. Likewise, the restructuring of Nigeria which is a major antidote to political and ethnic hegemony is being played down. We have left ‘leprosy’ unattended to cure ‘ringworm’. Even though all the outrageous demands of the avengers are met and billions of naira is given to them, it will never stop militancy. The problem at hand requires trust, proper representation of the people and collective collaboration of all stakeholders with transparency and accountability on the side of government to bring lasting solution to the agitation in the Niger Delta. Likewise, proper implementation of the UNEP report, passing and implementation of PIB coupled with the 2014 Confab report MUST be visited. President Buharis’s government cannot afford to ignore these all-important factors if he truly wants change that Nigerians desired.
Bakare, a public affairs analyst, wrote this piece from Lagos.