Niger Delta Leaders accuse Dutch Govt, Shell of conspiracy to nail activist
By Emeka Umejei, Lagos – Some Niger Delta leaders have pointed accusing fingers at Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) as conspirators in a bid to convict Netherland-based Niger Delta Activist, Sunny Ofehe.
The Leaders were reacting to charges of attempting to blow up oil pipelines operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) in Nigeria levelled against Ofehe by the Dutch Authority in Netherland.
The leaders condemned what they described as an attempt by Dutch authority to convict Ofehe by any means possible.
In his reaction, Leader of Niger Delta Volunteer Peoples Force, Asari Dokubo describes the charges against Ofehe as a sham. “It is all a sham. It is the Western hypocrisy we are up against. They support the evil being perpetuated by their off-shore companies in the Niger Delta,” Dokubo said.
“How on earth will any sane government accuse Sunny Ofehe of supporting any act that will adversely affect the environment of the already degraded Niger Delta?”
Corroborating Dokubo, former president of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Dr. Chris Ekiyor says the action of Dutch government only confirms that it is in conspiring with Shell to Nail Ofehe.
“What Dutch Government has done has confirmed that they are actually conspiring with Shell to pollute the Niger Delta. But we are rallying Ofehe to see how far it will go. In the days ahead, they will see the action of the Niger Delta people,” Ekiyor said.
“It is quite sad that Ofehe is getting such a treatment from the Dutch Government instead of applauds for creating awareness on environmental degradation in the region,” Ekiyor said.
Stating further, Ekiyor says it is not possible for one man to carry out attacks on oil pipelines in the region.
“Which Pipelines did they see Sunny Bombing? What of the white people that accompanied him-why were they not arrested? One man cannot carry out such attacks on oil pipelines,” Ekiyor queries.
Toeing same path with others, Coordinator of Ijaw Monitoring Group (IMG) Joseph Evah, says the Dutch Government will provoke the Niger Delta people if they continue with prosecution of Ofehe.
“If they continue with the charges, it implies that they want to provoke us. If they maltreat him, we have the capacity to arrest their nationalities and put them on trial for environmental pollution,” Evah said.
Ofehe has been having a running battle with Dutch government since leading a delegation of Dutch Parliamentarians to observe the degradation perpetrated by operations of Shell in the Niger Delta last year.
