Reads riot act to pirates, oil thieves, kidnappers
Promises to work with security agents
By Gabriel Ewepu
THE newly appointed Director, DG Special Unit, Delta State Command of the National Taskforce, NATFORCE, Hon Egberike T Pereotubo, Friday, called on youths to support the effort to reduce all forms of criminality in the Niger Delta region.
Pereotubo stated this while speaking with Vanguard on the worrisome spate of criminal activities that have further impoverished the peace-loving people of the oil-producing region.
According to him, NATFORCE is established to complement efforts of security agencies deployed to the region to maintain peace, law and order, which also is to combat illegal importation and smuggling of small arms and ammunition, light chemical weapons, goods, and monitoring of oil pipeline vandalism in the region.
He said: “The Niger Delta region is a part of Nigeria that is very key to the economic growth and development of this country with most of the oil and gas companies operating there.
“There have been several challenges that have bedevilled progress and development of the region despite over 90 per cent of foreign exchange revenue that comes out of the region to the national coffers. But in all these he Buhari-led administration since 2015 has demonstrated the political will to make life meaningful for the people of the region.
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“I know and understand that the Buhari-led administration is working hard to change the narrative in the region and there is no doubt about that. My coming in into office as the new Director, DG Special Unit, Delta State Command of the National Taskforce, NATFORCE, is to ensure there is peace and progress in the region.
“I am personally appealing and urging our youths to join us to ensure the spate of criminality is reduced because criminality is not sustainable but comes with heavy consequences on the perpetrators and the entire region including posterity.
“Violence and all forms of criminality will not do the region any good but constant retrogression and pain on the long-run. So, as a son of the region as you are my youths, let us have a rethink on the issue of criminal activities and abandon it and accept the offer from the government in order for peace to reign in order to attract development to the region, which all of us will be alive to benefit from it including our families and posterity.”
However, he (Pereotubo) sound a serious not of waning and read riot act to those who are currently deep in piracy, oil theft, kidnapping and cultism to immediately drop their criminal activities or will regret it.
“We will not allow some few elements of evil and criminality make the movement of persons and goods difficult, terrorizing our communities, obstructing operations of oil companies, and vandalizing our commonwealth, the nation’s oil pipelines.
“We are all out for them and will make sure he or she that is caught regret painfully his or her actions including their sponsors. We have our ears and eyes everywhere in Delta State in particular. We will want you, persons, to drop your arms now and embrace the olive branch we are extending to you know before it becomes too late,” he stated.
Meanwhile, he promised to closely work with security agents in Delta State, and also in the region to achieve a peaceful environment by collaborating with them.
