By Hamilton Nwosa(Head, The New Diplomat’s Polling, Research & Data desk)
Elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, has fingered selfish northerners over the worsening insecurity in the country. He also described as criminal and unconscionable any attempt to equate N’Delta militants to the bandits ravaging the North.
Reacting to the ongoing peace efforts by Kaduna-based Islamic Cleric, Sheikh Abubakar Gumi, Clark told journalists at a briefing in Abuja on Wednesday that rather than using oil proceeds from the Niger Delta for the good of all by developing their region, Northern elites “use it for and on themselves, for their selfish purposes – hence the emergence of Almajiris, Boko Haram and AK-47 herdsmen.”
In the same vein, Clark, while commending Gumi for his peace efforts, said it is inhuman and unconscionable to compare Niger Delta militants “who are exposed to all kinds of illnesses and deprivations, as a result of oil exploration, to murderous, bloodthirsty villains, who have taken up arms against the state, using different names like Boko Haram, bandits, killer herdsmen, kidnappers .”
The leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) noted that Gumi and others like him, including the Fulani, seem to be ignorant and envious of the Amnesty granted the Niger Delta militants by late President Umaru Yar’Adua, in August 2009.
Clark said: ”Sheik Gumi’s action, together with those who went with him, to embark on that venture, is commendable. I recall undertaking similar efforts, after a government delegation, led by Maj. Gen. Godwin Abbe went to Oporoza in Gbaramatu, Escravos River to plead with Tompolo to accept the terms of the amnesty.”
Clark argued that the grievances of the Niger Delta youths were and still are, against the government, and against the oil companies, which have refused to develop their areas of operation, but prefer to fly their people from Lagos to perform their job at the rigs in the creek, and fly them back to Lagos at the end of each working day.
According to him, some Nigerians who live outside the Niger Delta, who are not affected by the pollution in the Niger Delta, but whose lifestyle are supported and sustained by the resources of the Niger Delta behave like imperialists who live by the proceeds of the colonised.
“Unfortunately, such wealthy Nigerians, particularly from the North, rather than using these proceeds for the good of all by developing their region, use it for and on themselves, for their selfish purposes – hence the emergence of Almajiris, Boko Haram and AK-47 herdsmen,” he declared.
He, therefore, appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to restore peace and trust to the country, adding that it is rather unfortunate to see the Northern governors in a confused state, making contradictory propagandist statements without facing the realities.
Clark, however, urged Nigerians to settle religious and political differences and salvage the country.
His words: “I repeat, they do not need the federal government’s assistance to build grazing reserves for these dangerous species of herdsmen, who we understand, are immigrants from other African Countries like Libya as stated by President Muhammadu Buhari, sometime ago.”
He accused some governors of leaving their homes raging with fire as a result of insecurity, to ‘escort’ Buhari to his home town in Daura, Katsina State, to revalidate his membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He said: ”These same northern governors, who are so authoritative of their position decided to move the dehumanised youths called the Almajiri from their state of residence to their state of origin, particularly at a time when they should have taken proper care of them as a result of the hardship and hunger caused by the COVID-19, at a time when the generous society used to give them money and food freely, but were confined to their houses, due to the lockdown and these young innocent Nigerian boys wandered on the streets aimlessly, without anyone attending to them.”
