1. An eerie and deliberately skewed policy of national development in which non-oil producing areas of the country receive federal attention and infrastructure more than the oil-producing states.

2. Lack of vision and political will by the present group of political leaders to correct the roguish conduct or policies of their predecessors.

3. Lack of conscience on the part of national policy makers

4. Perverse personal attributes of the military and political leaders the nation produced in the past 47 years.

5. A high level of dishonesty and unhindered corruption at the highest level of national leadership, endless conspiracy between oil exploration companies and political leaders.

6. The predatory instincts of federal officials who are more interested in what they would receive rather than what the local communities would get from increased oil exploration activities.

Culled.

We shall discuss and analyse each of these excellent points as raised by Levi Obijiofor in this thread. And I would like Niger Deltans, and friends of the Niger Delta people (including inlaws) to contribute.

I guess the govs and LGA chairmen have the vision and political desire to make a difference. Yet states like Rivers and Delta with Annual Budgets more than some west african states have simply achieved nothing.

It is completely inaccurate for you to state that the Niger Delta is neglected by the Nigerian State.

How do you explain the 13% derivation fund for oil producing states ? Rivers State collects over $100 million monthly sometimes, more than any other state in Nigeria. There is also the Niger delta development commission (NDDC).

The Niger Delta provides well over 90% of the federal income used to run the Nigerian State at any given time, and until the folks on the ground living in the Delta are allowed to see benefit from that oil wealth in tangible terms as do more distant regions of the country, the violence there will only spread and get worse.

Second only to the provision of a working national electricity grid in Nigeria,  incoming President Yar Adua should have no higher policy priority than to QUICKLY modernize the life of the Niger Delta indigenous population by providing clean water facilities, schools, hospitals, employment, instant oil spillage clean-up and most importantly DIRECT MONETARY COMPENSATION commensurate with the percentage of Nigeria's crude oil wealth that has been extracted from beneath their ancestral homelands for the past half-century.

McKren:

I guess the govs and LGA chairmen have the vision and political desire to make a difference. Yet states like Rivers and Delta with Annual Budgets more than some west african states have simply achieved nothing.

How about comparing what the Abuja FCDA earns yearly with what ALL the Local Government in the Niger Delta receives? Get the stats and feedback asap. On what grounds are you going to compare what other places in West Africa have with what obtains in the Delta? Do they have the type of resources in the Delta, so that we can compare apple for apple and draw conclusive inference or what? If they don't have anything that can earn as much wealth as obtains in the delta, then there's no basis for comparison.

See point number 5: Dishonesty and corruption at the highest level.

GNature:

How do you explain the 13% derivation fund for oil producing states ? Rivers State collects over $100 million monthly sometimes, more than any other state in Nigeria. There is also the Niger delta development commission (NDDC).

What about the remaining 87% What have the FG done with that figure? Besides, we have been told severally that the problems in the Niger Delta requires the kind of will the FG put into building and making what Abuja is today, in order for the people of the area to ''feel'' the sincerity on the part of the FG to want to develop the area. What have the FG done in that regard? - This brings to fore point number one: Deliberate and criminal neglect of the area.

You have to first of all hold your governors and LGA chairmen accountable before you start accusing the Nigerian State.

ono,

listen, i am not disputing the fact that the niger delta has been neglected. I don't think anyone in their right mind would come here and say the niger deltans have been given their fair share of the oil revenue generated from the ND since independence.

The point i'm trying to make here is, since 1999, there has been efforts at trying to correct the mistakes of the past. This is where the 13% derivation and NDDC comes into play.

Obj's administration has also awarded the contracts for 7 power stations which are currently being built across the niger delta. There is also the multi-billion naira East-West road, which connects the niger delta area.

In response to what you said, you are right, abuja is given special attention being the federal capital, but this is not to keep the niger delta states from being developed as you are implying here. Other states of the federation (oil & non-oil producing) are also being deprived of resources as a result of the special attention given to abuja.

The 87% remainder (of the 13% derivation) is shared among the fed govt & all 36 states of the federation. So, I didn't get your point here.

.

Nobody is interested in the foul cry by MEND anymore.

The British High commission has warned its citizens from travelling to the Niger-Delta, Shell has also pledge to support any of its workers who wish to relocate from the area. So people are getting fed up with the criminality going on there all disguised as fight for freedom.

One and only reason: Because of OBJ.
This is clearly one of the major failure during OBJ's regime. It will be a disrespect to quickly fix what baba unsuccessfully struggled for many years to fix. Therefore, this new administration will ignore this area for few more months for OBJ era and flavor to totally dissolve.
Wait and see guys, 6 more months the MEND associate in prison will be released and this area will settle down before you know it.

While not trying to overflog issues here, I will dwell on each of the points raised by Levi.

1. An eerie and deliberately skewed policy of national development in which non-oil producing areas of the country receive federal attention and infrastructure more than the oil-producing states.

It has been established beyond reasonable doubt that the Nigerian state (herein called the majority ethnic conflagaration in Nigeria), after the discovery of crude oil in commercial quantities in the Delta, decided that whatever proceed is realised from the sale of crude would be used in transforming the lives and areas of the people in the majority ethinc groups in the country, first, before any other tribe can share of the proceeds from the sale of crude oil. So, they went about exploiting and plundering the resources of the Delta people without the consent and approval of the people of the area. They armed a handful of selfish ones among the delta people and used them against their people in achieveing their objectives.

At the height of this injustice is the promulgation of Decrees that were destructive, dehumanising and completely immoral in the late 70s by the then Head of state - General Olusegun Obasanjo. He later metamorphosed into Babacratic OBJ in 1999 and never repeal those draconian laws throughout the duration of his stay as President. This is for obvious reasons: The continuos plundering of the resources of the Niger Delta people for the benefit of the majority ethnic groups.

The Igbos went to war with the Nigerian state because of crude oil deposits in the Delta. They want complete and unhindered ownership of the resources there. But their greed was met with the ''might'' of the Nigerian state. They were forced to settle the matter out of the war front.

The Igbos went to war with the Nigerian state because of crude oil deposits in the Delta. They want complete and unhindered ownership of the resources there. But their greed was met with the ''might'' of the Nigerian state. They were forced to settle the matter out of the war front.

since that is what you want to talk about lets talk about it then. Ojukwu then one of the few Nigerian Oxford graduates, led a war with his father's resources. He used his resource to fight courageously for what he believed in. If 40years latter some of the things he tried to achieve are still haunting us then maybe Ojukwu was not wrong after all.

I also like to point out that, he did not engage in criminal acts like kidnapping people for ransome claiming he is fighting for freedom, he did not engage in armed robbery claiming he was fighting for freedom, he did not engage in gangsterism claiming he was fighting for freedom. He fought gallantly like a man for a course he believed in not the cowardice and gorrilla warfare seen in the delta today.

Guess what, yes the Igbos met the might of the Nigerian state but held sway for 3years. But I tell you what if the Nigerian Army decideds full scale military action against MEND, they will sort them out in 24hours like Gen Martin Luthar Agwai pointed out last week.

This country has other resources to survive so lets hear something, your criminality disguised as struggle is not popular anymore. Your game will soon be up.

Shame on MEND, they released 11 hostages today. Before 3pm they will kidnap another 6. What is the point releasing the previous 11 if not that they have collected ransome on that 11 so has to release them and kidnap afresh so that new ransome will come in.

Ateke Tom, Soboma George were all thieves arround borikiri area of PH. They have seen in kidnapping expatriates a new way of extorting money in a more popular fashion.
Honestly deep down in their heart they wish the crisis never comes to an end so that bussiness of hostage taking for ransome continues. THIEVES!!!!!!!!

The only benefit the Niger-Delta people have in this crisis is that people who would have been robbing them to make ends meet have simply found a more lucrative way of making money.
Otherwise I cant see why the Niger-Deltans are supporting MEND, who have simply brought them insecurity.

McKren:

since that is what you want to talk about lets talk about it then. Ojukwu then one of the few Nigerian Oxford graduates, led a war with his father's resources. He used his resource to fight courageously for what he believed in. If 40years latter some of the things he tried to achieve are still haunting us then maybe Ojukwu was not wrong after all.

I also like to point out that, he did not engage in criminal acts like kidnapping people for ransome claiming he is fighting for freedom, he did not engage in armed robbery claiming he was fighting for freedom, he did not engage in gangsterism claiming he was fighting for freedom. He fought gallantly like a man for a course he believed in not the cowardice and gorrilla warfare seen in the delta today.

Guess what, yes the Igbos met the might of the Nigerian state but held sway for 3years. But I tell you what if the Nigerian Army decideds full scale military action against MEND, they will sort them out in 24hours like Gen Martin Luthar Agwai pointed out last week.

This country has other resources to survive so lets hear something, your criminality disguised as struggle is not popular anymore. Your game will soon be up.

I will like to know what it is that's Ojukwu's belief. While you must appreciate the fact that MEND do not have the backing of responsible people of the Niger Delta, it is on record that the whole of Ndigbo supported the cause of Ojukwu's secession. Their claims dwell majorly on the sectarian killings in the north and other inhuman treatment meted out to them. At the height of the brouhaha at the time, they carved the lands of the Delta along with their Biafran lands. That was the last straw that broke the camels back for them and incurred the wrath of their other majority ethnic groups.

Ojukwu fought galantly indeed. But he lost ''gallantly'' too.

But that's not what I'm discussing here. You can bring up that issue in the tribalism blog.

I long to see the day every other parts of this country will depend solely on their own natural gifts and talents.

The problem with you guys is that you play the tribal card, when others play your own game you brand them tribalistic. Go through the thread again and see who between us was the first to mention tribe. alright let me give you a clue.

The Igbos went to war with the Nigerian state because of crude oil deposits in the Delta. They want complete and unhindered ownership of the resources there. But their greed was met with the ''might'' of the Nigerian state. They were forced to settle the matter out of the war front.  

Probably it was I who made the above comment. Or probably a swear word against the Igbos is not tribalistic because it has become so common in our society.

40years ago, Ojukwu thought Nigeria would be a better place if it was a confedration. The Hawks in the North led by Gowon threatened to secede. It was after Western Governments led by Britain who knew they will find there way arround Northerners easier than Southerners prevailed on the North that Gowon dropped the secession idea after the famous peace meeting in Lagos and then Ojukwu picked it up. The Igbos were not the brainchild of secession though our history has been so basterdized in this country that no one knows the truth anymore.

Talking about the Murder of Sarduna of Sokoto, Kaduna Nzeogwu who led and executed that operation is from Delta State what is today South-South or Niger-Delta. Yet everyone wants to blame the Igbos in the South East for the problems of Nigeria. Besides that before the attack there has been Election violence killings in the North against Southerners.
After all these came Major Gen Jonson Thomas Aguyi-Ironsi, Nigeria's most senior military officer as it were then, the gentleman general who thought he could restore hope by preaching peace. To prove this he hired the services of Northern Bodygaurds, his own bodygaurds gave him away to his assasinators led by Gen Theophilus Danjuma. That was the height of this crisis and then Ojukwu attempted to secede.

A country without a history will never be able to plan its future. Some people have over the years blackmailed the truth, but truth like what it is remains the truth. Go look the meaning of Confedration in your dictionary and compare it with the local control of resources you are fighting for and see if there is a relationship.
There is a saying that only a mad man tries to block two parallel roads at the same time and that is what you guys in the Niger-Delta are doing.

You can not celebrate the structure of Nigeria as it is and yet call for local control of resources, these are two parallel lines that will never meet. Your struggle if there is one is so misguided. You guys are even lucky "thanks to OBJ" that 13% derivation was granted. Otherwise going by our Gospel of Nigeria being so sweet as it is, they are not supposed to even grant that.
Only last week Afenifere, was blaiming OBJ that instead of restructuring Nigeria to a situation where each Geopolitical zone generates its own revenue and pays tax to the central government, he was busy restructuring personnel.
The beauty of all this is that the criticism it is not coming from the South-East, the Nigeria we in the South-East foresaw 40years ago others are seeing now yet you guys will not admit the truth and apologise to the Igbos. What has Nigeria achieved since independence the way it is Nothing.

Talking about the whole Ndigbo backing Ojukwu, I don't think anybody who knows the truth will regret what our forefathers did. Maybe Ojukwu may have overplayed his hands sometimes. But the fact is that If Nigeria had an honest debate on the issue raised we would not have been where we are today. When I look at the crisis in the Delta I find reason to appreciate Ojukwu even more, is it not funny that those who sabotaged the struggle are fighting for the same course today?? May be the abandoned properties belonging to Igbos given to them for free can not accomodate them anymore.
What is more worrying is even 40years latter you guys still don't know your opponents, PH refinery has been bought by Dangote he is not Igbo, the Genarals who owned the oil Wells in the Niger-Delta are not Igbos, yet you guys keep on thinking Igbos are your problem. I don't get it. Why can't you just leave Igbos alone

While you must appreciate the fact that MEND do not have the backing of responsible people of the Niger Delta, it is on record that the whole of Ndigbo supported the cause of Ojukwu's secession

We don't believe in tacitly backing and arming criminals but yet denying them in the Open. That is cowardice
I don't know what you mean by Niger-Delta indegenes not backing MEND, when there first set of ammunition was imported by Governors, I don't know what you mean by Niger-Delta indegenes not backing MEND when the first act of Newly elected governors is to call for the release of Asari Dokubo.
Is it not an insult on the sensibility of Nigerians that the newly elected Governor of River State Celestine Omehia is placing N1m bounty on any information on Militants when on the eve of handover May 29, he deployed Soboma George (Militant Kingpin) to assasinate Prince Igodo (another Militant Kingpin) for threatening to scuttle his handover. My brother better wake up!!!!

McKren,
Questions:

1. Is it true that the Igbos carved the lands of the Delta along with their Biafran lands?
2. Why?
3. Is Kaduna Ezeogwu really a Niger Deltan - as you imply, or a kith and kin of the Igbos?

4.

McKren:


Yet you guys keep on thinking Igbos are your problem. I don't get it. Why can't you just leave Igbos alone

We don't believe in tacitly backing and arming criminals but yet denying them in the Open. That is cowardice
I don't know what you mean by Niger-Delta indegenes not backing MEND, when the first act of Newly elected governors is to call for the release of Asari Dokubo.
Is it not an insult on the sensibility of Nigerians that the newly elected Governor of River State Celestine Omehia is placing N1m bounty on any information on Militants when on the eve of handover May 29, he deployed Soboma George (Militant Kingpin) to assasinate Prince Igodo (another Militant Kingpin) for threatening to scuttle his handover. My brother better wake up!!!!

I never said the Igbos alone are the ones benefiting from the present parasitic arrangement. But I can recall saying something about the majority ethnic groups in the country, of which the Igbos are a major part.  As per the Igbos being the cause of our problems in the Delta, well, I think that statement should be credited to you in the light of the above explanation.

Asaba today is an Igbo enclave. And as far as geography and geology (technically speaking this time) is concerned, that place is not a part of the Niger Delta.

I think your people are fond of doing double-speak when the issue of Rivers and Delta States are being discussed. On the one hand you say the Ikwerres are your Kith and Kins in the Niger Delta. But when the chips are down and push turns to shove, you tell the whole world the Ikwerres are not Igbos. Omehia is an Igbo man. Go ask him and Odili (another Igbo man) why they're causing havoc in the Delta, if they don't have the mandate of their Igbo brothers in that regard.

As regards your claims on the innocency of the Igbos in the present quagmire we are in, please read up this site at your spare time: http://www.dawodu.com/omoigui13.htm So far, this is the only link that has a comprehensive details about what transpired between the forces that holds sway in this country and eventually led to the civil war in 1967 - at least all the sides Igbos, Yorubas and Hausa/Fulanis were discussed.

In Delta state, you say Asaba people are not Igbos - they are Bendel Igbos and now Delta Igbos.But we have the headquarters of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Asaba for Edo and Delta states there. Also it's on record that Chief Philip Asiodu, an Asaba high chief was amongst those who advised the military regime of General Olusegun Obasanjo to promulgate those draconian laws denying the Niger Delta people of their God-given resources. He told the man that the Niger Delta people are just a bunch of feeble group that can be conquered at anytime if they make too much noise. If you ask me, I will say the Igbos cannot be trusted with anything. You guys are like green snakes under green grass. At the slightest opportunity, you'll unleash the deadliest attack on anything, if not curbed.

The link you provided like most of how our Generals want the History to be told talks about counter-revolution and what led to it. But the question is, the underlying issues that led to a disagreement at all in the first place no one talks about it.

after reading your post, I regret engaging you in a discuss because you are lumping everything and don't seem to understand the difference between Igbo, Niger-Delta, South-South and South-East. I will not lecture you that as am not your tutor.

My advice for you is, go and advice your brothers to find something better doing. Their criminality in the name of struggle is no longer popular. Their game will soon be up, they should go and engage in legitimate bussiness.

http://www.cdd.org.uk/resources/workingpapers/niger_delta_eng.htm

Don't take that escape route. Read also some stuff about your brother: Philip Chukwedu Asiodu.

''The civil war was fundamentally an oil war, and the victor was quick to take control of the booty. Scant regard was given to the people on whose land the oil was derived, and all through the oil boom years lasting to 1980, they were conspicuous in their absence when it came to allocating infrastructure and sundry social amenities. Indeed, one of General Gowon's key advisers in the Federal Civil Service, Mr Phillip Asiodu, made the cynical remark that the people of the Niger Delta could do nothing to change this state of affairs because they were numerically insignificant in the Nigerian scheme of things. Little wonder then that when the storm broke in 1990 with the advent of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), it took everybody, including Nigeria's military government, completely by surprise''

ono:

The Igbos went to war with the Nigerian state because of crude oil deposits in the Delta. They want complete and unhindered ownership of the resources there. But their greed was met with the ''might'' of the Nigerian state. They were forced to settle the matter out of the war front.

Ah!! Ono, you were lacing some of your comments with salient facts, until you got to this point, where you veered off the path of truth. Dis one wey you talk for up here. . . na big lie! The Igbo went to war, because they were being killed in their thousands in the North. Chikena! Crude Oil was NOT the main reason for the war. Mba!!  

Read the accounts of the war and even the reports and dispatches that foreign observers made at that time. Maybe, along the line the thought of financing the war efforts with crude deposits in the region, may have crept in as the war progressed, who knows? But the initial issue that prompted the war was the killings in the North. Check!

The victors are those you trusted, what are you fighting for then

The truth is that you are in a battle in which you don't even know your enemies. You are simply on a wide goose chase.

Go and research when 13% derivation was voted for in the National Assembly, go and research those who supported it and those who stood against it.
We are not afraid of different geo-political zones controling their own resources yet you prefer to blame Igbos. Tell me how we benefit from the oil in the Delta, tell me who has been in control of oil wells in this country.

You guys have no clue what you are doing.

You must understand that Isaac Boro fought for the unity of this country. He was killed mysteriously, although evidence now points at his Commander at the time who wants to take all the glory for winning the civil war.

Anyways, the fact remains that the Igbos were conquered during the civil war. It's true that we went into that war with the intention of uniting the country. We have been stabbed in the back by those whom we thought have our best interests at heart. It's important to note that out of the three enemies of progress of the people of the delta, one of them (the Igbos) have been made to chill out for a while, after having been schemed out of the booty.

We pray the remaining two will be at each others' throat soon. Then, we shall be able to lay claim to what belongs to us.

Was Nigeria divided when Isaac Boro started his struggle, everybody seems to be fighting for unity of Nigeria. God knows what that unity means.
The Igbos were fighting for oil, the North who were not fighting for oil when the war ended the shared oil wells among themselves, the Northern Generals.

And your for fathers were so contended with the free properties they were given that belonged to the Igbos. They were not back stabbed they were rightly given their share. What else can a group of lazy fellows want.

Without oil you guys will die of hunger in nigeria.

It's true that we went into that war with the intention of uniting the country. We have been stabbed in the back by those whom we thought have our best interests at heart

Congratulations!!!!!!! It took you 40years to realise that, it will take another 40years to redirect your struggle against those who are marginalising you and leave the Igbos alone.

That was how in the run-up to last election the South-East led by the likes of Iwuanyawu was liasing with South-South people on how to produce a common candidate. Most people in South-East have already given in to a South-South Presidency.
Edwin Clark came out from no-where and started talking about old allegiance to the North. I began to wonder what the basis of that alliance was??
If Goodluck likes he should not play his card well, if he keeps on playing politics of "Igbos are his problem" we will rather ensure that a Yoruba man becomes President instead of him.

McKren:

Was Nigeria divided when Isaac Boro started his struggle, everybody seems to be fighting for unity of Nigeria. God knows what that unity means.
The Igbos were fighting for oil, those who were not fighting for oil when the war ended the shared oil wells among themselves.

And your for fathers were so contended with the free properties they were given that belonged to the Igbos. They were not back stabbed they were rightly given their share. What else can a group of lazy fellows want.

Without oil you guys will die of hunger in nigeria.
Congratulations!!!!!!! It took you 40years to realise that, it will take another 40years to redirect your struggle against those who are marginalising you and leave the Igbos alone.

Firstly, you must know that the resources of the Delta are enormous. Indeed its non-renewable, but I can assure you that for the next 100 years we are still tapping the oil and gas resources in there. And talking about resources, you're very much aware that most of the littoral states in the country are in the Delta. Much as we have oil resources, we are blessed with enough aquatic resources, wildlife, forestry and a host of other sedimentary minerals that is the envy of other parts of the country. Indeed the delta area has been named an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) by Nigeria - for their selfish reasons. That we will die of hunger without oil is a childish conclusion from you,

The properties in Portharcourt was paid for by the FG. You guys willingly accepted the pennies and pounds given to you in return for all those 1930 - 60 buildings [ I doubt if any of such buildings still exists] Besides, Portharcourt has grown so large now, we can easily accept to give you guys some plots of lands elsewhere to compensate you for your loss - if you don't push too hard.

McKren:

The Igbos were fighting for oil, those who were not fighting for oil when the war ended the shared oil wells among themselves.

I like it when you now talk like this; exhibiting the double-speak attitude of the typical Igbo man. You were not fighting for oil but for your freedom, before now. But now, you're fighting for oil and others took over ''your'' oil. Abeg, make we hear word!

another 100years??
40years has gone and nothing has been achieved.

This country once exported Coal and its in other regions, the world is going green. Soon Uranium will be the world's hottest comodity. Nigeria's Uranium deposit is not in the South-South so I don't know why all the noise about oil.

If Nigeria want local control of resources by each geo-political zone, the South-east will be the first to embrace it because we are self sufficient.

I like it when you now talk like this; exhibiting the double-speak attitude of the typical Igbo man. You were not fighting for oil but for your freedom, before now. But now, you're fighting for oil and others took over ''your'' oil. Abeg, make we hear word!

I also like the way you reason like a clueless and brainwashed riverrine fellow. You started the gospel of Igbos were fighting for oil and I am reminding you that those who you claimed were not fighting for oil shared the oil wells among themselves, the same people are those who stoutly opposed 25% derivation in the National Assembly. Yet you keep on presenting baseless arguments.

The properties in Portharcourt was paid for by the FG. You guys willingly accepted the pennies and pounds given to you in return for all those 1930 - 60 buildings [ I doubt if any of such buildings still exists] Besides, Portharcourt has grown so large now, we can easily accept to give you guys some plots of lands elsewhere to compensate you for your loss - if you don't push too hard.

Which corroborates my earlier fact that your lazy forefathers were duely rewarded for their betrayal.
Even at that, the Igbos have still bought back most of those properties from you in PH. They still own more properties in PH. So which do you want to give back to them?

That we will die of hunger without oil is a childish conclusion from you

Tell me what else you can do other than fight for oil benefits, Nigeria's best academics are not from the South-South, you are not known for trade and commerce, you are not known for agriculture.
The so-called fish farming you want to lay claims to, yes Nature has provided you natural resouces to it yet people are too lazy to exploit it.

I simply don't know why you guys feel so special?

exhibiting the double-speak attitude of the typical Igbo man

There you go again, double-speaking a typical attribute of the igbo man. You dont.
You are praying for a head on fight between the two major tribes so that you get what is truly yours, yet you are here preaching the gospel of unity and One Nigeria.
In this case double-Speaking is an understatement, this is clear hypocrisy.

McKren:

another 100years??
40years has gone and nothing has been achieved.

This country once exported Coal and its in other regions, the world is going green. Soon Uranium will be the world's hottest comodity. Nigeria's Uranium deposit is not in the South-South so I don't know why all the noise about oil.

We're gradually deviating, but I will make one last attempt to open your eyes. I started this thread for people who will like to discuss reasonably with us on the reasons why the delta was neglected in the scheme of things in Nigeria. I did not come here to darken the image of any tribe. True, in the course of my discuss, there's no way I will not mention the three ethnic groups that conspired to deprive us of our dues. But you suddenly came out of nowhere and started defending your ethnic enclave. The hausas and yorubas on this forum have been very quiet on this. But you come here to defend your people even when it's glaring to all that the Igbos wanted to take ownership of the oil resources (amongst other things) in the delta area and this led to the civil war of 1967, and subsequently their defeat and surrender in the hands of Federal forces in 1970.

If you feel so bad about the war, and the fact that your forefathers wanted to reap where they did not sow (which is one of the reasons your tribe is roaming all over Nigeria building castles in the air), try fighting the Federal forces again to prove them wrong!

If you know you don't have anything meaningful to contribute, please back off from this thread, OK?

While not trying to overflog issues here, I will dwell on each of the points raised by Levi.

1. An eerie and deliberately skewed policy of national development in which non-oil producing areas of the country receive federal attention and infrastructure more than the oil-producing states.

It has been established beyond reasonable doubt that the Nigerian state (herein called the majority ethnic conflagaration in Nigeria), after the discovery of crude oil in commercial quantities in the Delta, decided that whatever proceed is realised from the sale of crude would be used in transforming the lives and areas of the people in the majority ethinc groups in the country, first, before any other tribe can share of the proceeds from the sale of crude oil. So, they went about exploiting and plundering the resources of the Delta people without the consent and approval of the people of the area. They armed a handful of selfish ones among the delta people and used them against their people in achieveing their objectives.

At the height of this injustice is the promulgation of Decrees that were destructive, dehumanising and completely immoral in the late 70s by the then Head of state - General Olusegun Obasanjo. He later metamorphosed into Babacratic OBJ in 1999 and never repeal those draconian laws throughout the duration of his stay as President. This is for obvious reasons: The continuos plundering of the resources of the Niger Delta people for the benefit of the majority ethnic groups.

The Igbos went to war with the Nigerian state because of crude oil deposits in the Delta. They want complete and unhindered ownership of the resources there. But their greed was met with the ''might'' of the Nigerian state. They were forced to settle the matter out of the war front. 

I am happy you are getting angry that is the very essence of my attack, i don't do war of words on nairaland but have chosen to on this occasion and it is working.
Talking about the Yorubas or Hausas not defending themselves, the above post by you reminds you how Igbos or no Igbos came in here. I did not type it you did. You guys will never learn to leave Igbos alone.

You guys do not reap where you did not sow but chose to accept other people's properties to  mortgage your own future, are you not ashamed of yourself

Look at the boys who are your freedom fighters, Ateke Tom, Soboma George, Prince igodo. These are retired thieves and pick pockets of yesteryears.
Tell them their game is up, Nigerians are no longer intrested in hearing their criminality diguised as strugle for freedom.
They are thieves they should go find a legitimate bussiness.

Aberdeen the oil capital of Europe does not pay oil benefits to people of Aberdeen, Huston the oil capital of US does not pay oil benefits to people of Houston in Texas. They all have one soverignty and the cental government manages the resources.
What did you sow? did your forefathers plant the oil in the Niger-delta??

The problem of Niger-Delta and Nigeria as a whole is one of poor governance, the Governors and LGA chaimen in your states are not Yorubas, Hausas or Igbos. Poor Governance is suffered everywhere in Nigeria. So why can't we have peace.??
make we hear something abeg

If you feel so bad about the war, and the fact that your forefathers wanted to reap where they did not sow (which is one of the reasons your tribe is roaming all over Nigeria building castles in the air), try fighting the Federal forces again to prove them wrong!

You feel so good about the war why are you guys deploying thieves to make Nigeria unattractive for foreigners. British High commision has warned its citizens from your state, Shell is offering to relocate expatriate staffs, God help us if all the Oyibos go they will resort to kidnapping Nigerians that are well off.
shame what a cheap way of making ends meet.

You and your people are building castles in space cos you do not know what you are fighting for, you are fighting for local contro of resources yet you celebrate the present structure of Nigeria. Does that look to you like knowing what you are doing?

Julius Berger pulls out of PH airport contract
Hopes of quick resumption of flight operations into the Port-Harcourt International Airport appear dimmed following the withdrawal of the main contractor, Julius Berger Plc from site. The company, which is handling the resurfacing of the airport runway, airfield lighting and other civil works, was said to have withdrawn from the site due to the upsurge in of hostage-taking by Niger Deltan militants. Spokesman for the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Akin Olukunle who confirmed the development to journalists on Tuesday, said the construction firm had completed about 35 per cent of work before pulling out, assuring however that the project would be completed as scheduled. Olukunle said: "They have done 35 per cent of the job, and we are hopeful that they will return to work because of the intervention of Mr. President in the Niger-Delta crisis. It is true that they pulled out because of hostage taking." He stated that FAAN was waiting for Federal Government's approval for the expansion of the apron of the airport and the airfield lighting to Category Three. The airport was closed down early last year for total refurbishment and provision of security

NIGERIA
Shell offers to move workers
Royal Dutch Shell said it would relocate any expatriate employees who want to leave Nigeria's oil-producing region after the U.K. issued a new travel warning about the area.

"We have decided that we will support the relocation of those expatriate staff members who are based in the Niger Delta and wish to leave," Shell spokeswoman Eurwen Thomas said Friday in an interview from London.

The relocation applies to any foreign national working for Shell in the Niger Delta, not just British workers, she said.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/4875522.html

Leave Niger Delta, Britons urged

Nigerian militants have been responsible for kidnappings
Britons have been advised by the UK government to leave three states in Nigeria's oil-producing Niger Delta.
In updates to travel advice on the Foreign Office website, citizens were warned that Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers States are unsafe.

The site states this is because of the very high risk of kidnapping, armed robbery and other armed attacks.

A Briton was one of four foreign oil workers kidnapped in Port Harcourt, capital of Rivers State, last week.

Since January last year, 31 British nationals and more than 180 foreigners have been kidnapped in the area. One Briton has been killed.

I think the oil companies have to look seriously at whether or not they can continue to work there

Labour MP Frank Doran

In its travel advice, the Foreign Office says British nationals who do stay in the region do so at their own risk.

It states this is because "of the very high risk of kidnapping, armed robbery and other armed attacks in these areas".

It also advises those who do stay in the three states that they are doing so "at their own risk" and says they should take professional security advice.

Coastal attacks

Most foreigners who go to the area, such as oil workers, already travel there with armed police escorts.

Recent attacks in the area have led to a 25% cut in Nigeria's oil production.



Those on ships and oil rigs off the coast of the Delta should also be aware of the "high risk of kidnappings and other armed attacks", the Foreign Office said.

Aberdeen North Labour MP Frank Doran, who has campaigned for tougher travel advice for oil workers travelling to the region, said the situation had become "very, very serious".

The UK government, the Nigerian government and private security firms could not guarantee the safety of Britons, he said.

He added: "I think the oil companies have to look seriously at whether or not they can continue to work there."

Oil company Royal Dutch Shell said it would support the relocation of its expatriate staff based in the Niger Delta who wished to leave.

In a statement it said: "The safety of our staff is our primary concern and we continually review our security measures and take a precautionary approach

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6734173.stm

Affluent Nigerians with children in primary and post-primary schools in Lagos State and its environs may have been the latest target of hostage-takers in the Niger-Delta region. This is following the recent abduction of a five-year-old girl, Chiloka Madubugwu, by some hoodlums from a private school (names withheld), in Orile-Iganmu area of the state.


Sunday Tribune investigations revealed that no sooner than the girl was kidnapped that her abductors transported her to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, called her father, Mr Jude Madubugwu, and demanded for the sum of N3million as ransom for her release, failure which she would be slaughtered.


However, Sunday Tribune was informed by an authoritative family source that prior to the telephone call by the hoodlums, who were still at large as at the time of filing this report , the family lawyers of the Madubugwus, Messers Festus Keyamo and Co, advised them to be on the look out for any strange call, papers on their wall or doors and gate among others since cases of kidnapping and demand for ransom had become so rampant in the country.


Accordingly, the source, who craved for anonymity at the weekend, added that true to type, a strange call came the following day from somebody who gave his name as Master Butchery, just as it stated further that the so-called Master Butchery gave an instruction that the parents of the victim should pay N3million.


Speaking further, the source said, “before the father of the five-year-old girl could ask who the caller was, the caller switched off the phone only to call back the following day, requesting that the girl’s class teacher who had been arrested by the police over the incident, be released forthwith, as not releasing the teacher immediately amounted to risking the life of the kid.”


ST findings further revealed that when Master Butchery was asked on the mode of payment, he was said to have told the father of Chiloka that he shouldn’t be faster than his shadow while stressing that every necessary detail on how it would be paid would be given to Mr. Madubugwu shortly.


Meanwhile, Mr. Madubugwu was alleged to have paid the said N1million ransom for the release of his child to a newly opened account owned by one Kingsley Abu at Aba branch of a new generation bank, as the kidnappers were said to have withdrawn the money at the Port-Harcourt branch of the same bank later after which the girl was dumped at a branch of a eatery in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where a pastor friend of the Madubugwu had gone to pick up the girl.


Consequently, when Sunday Tribune visited the school for confirmation of the story, the headmaster of the nursery and primary school said it was true.


He, however, pointed out that the school authorities had even before the incident put in place security measures to prevent such an unfortunate incident. However, when he was asked why the school security guards and teachers had to allow the hoodlums to take away the child before the arrival of her parents on that fateful day, he said he had no answer to that.

Mckren, why are you wasting time on these clowns? Their favourite past time is Igbo bashing. They will blame the Igbo man for everything, including erectile dysfunction and headache. Mental derangement comes in different forms.