The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) pays
Niger Delta militants billions of Naira in security contracts according to
senior officials of the apex oil body.
The revelation first published in yesterday’s Wall Street
Journal reveals that the Niger Delta militants get between $3.5 million and
$22.5 million for security contracts which include guarding NNPC pipelines to
protecting the waterways from crude oil thieves.
The WSJ reported, “Last year, Nigeria’s state oil company
began paying him $9 million a year, by Mr. Dokubo-Asari’s account, to pay his
4,000 former foot soldiers to protect the pipelines they once attacked. He
shrugs off the unusual turn of events. “I don’t see anything wrong with it,”
said the thickly built former
gunman, lounging in a house gown at his home here
in Nigeria’s capital.”
Whist General Government “Tompolo” Ekpumopolo (pictured above) earlier this
year received a $22.9 million (N3.614billion) contract to secure the waterways
from crude oil thieves and pirates.
The WSJ goes on to call these payments a luxury, although
the Nigerian government has recorded remarkable improvement in oil production
and earnings since the security contracts and amnetsy came into place.
The WSJ reported, “For President Goodluck Jonathan, a Niger
Delta native, such lavish expenditures have become a political liability.
Despite a growing economy, his country of 167 million struggles to finance even
the basics, starting with power plants, roads and sewers. A blossoming middle
class in Nigeria’s cities has put further strain on public infrastructure.
“This year alone, Nigeria will spend about $450 million on
its amnesty programme, according to the government’s 2012 budget, more than
what it spends to deliver basic education to children.”
Jonathan’s aide Oronto Douglas justified the payments saying
the damage done to the treasury if militancy resumes would be far more
damaging.
Managing Director of Shell, Mutiu Sunmonu: “For you to address the whole issue of
poverty and development, you need some kind of peace. That is what I think the
amnesty programme has offered.”
Asari, Tompolo, Ateke Tom are awarded contract by FG. My question is:
ReplyDelete1. Will the Boko Haram not be encourage to heat up d country wit d expectatn of such great rewards afta surrender?