Ola ‘Kiya, Reporting
THE O’odua Integrity Network (OIN) has berated retired General Tajudeen Olarewaju over his viral statement linking private pipeline surveillance security outfits to the gruesome killing of officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army at Okuama in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State.
President and secretary of OIN, Chief Adewale Adeosun and Mr. Ige Kilanko, in a statement on Saturday, said such utterance showed the retired army officer is hand in glove with oil barons trying hard to wreak the economy of the country.
Recall that 17 officers and soldiers of 181 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Bomadi, Delta State, were gruesomely murdered in a most despicable way during a purported peace mission between warring Okuama and Okoloba communities.
The O’odua Integrity Network which commiserated with the Nigerian Army and families of the deceased military personnel, said since the late President Umaru Yar’Adua granted Niger Delta youths Presidential Amnesty over a decade ago, such horrible had eluded the region.
“Therefore, the last week’s spine- chilling occurrence in Okuama, Delta State, was most abhorrent.
“May the Lord grant each of the fallen soldiers eternal peace, and their families the fortitude to bear huge loss.
“The incident has generated so much discourse across the country. In the list is the press statement of 78-year old retired Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju (retd) of March 21, 2024.
“If it was for commiseration with the Nigerian Army and families of the slain soldiers, it would have been glossed over like others. After all, the military is his primary constituency.
“But the old soldier, in the Press statement purportedly issued by his Media office, titled, “Non-state Actors Protecting Oil Installations Politically, Economically Unsafe For Nigeria,” dovetailed into areas he has since lost expertise.
“His knowledge of security matters has long been flagged after many years in retirement.
“In a hurry to discharge the job he was hired to deliver, the retired general said constitutionally recognised military institutions should be positioned and equipped to do the job through specially-trained and strategically built forces like it’s done in India and Venezuela.
“He poured venoms on the operators of private surveillance security providers hired by the Federal Government to safeguard the nation’s oil and gas equipment, labelling them as militants, thugs and hoodlums, who are not different from bandits.
“Having read this widely circulated press statement, as a Yoruba group familiar with the genesis of the enlistment of the private security providers for the tasks of safeguarding our national assets, we believed that the ex-General should be enlightened and educated on the matter.
“Our response also became expedient because as a Yoruba group, we are bothered about the public conduct and utterances of our leaders.
“Ex-Gen Tajudeen Olanrewaju in pouring the unwarranted venoms displayed arrant ignorance and exhibited unpardonable ignorance unexpected of a Yoruba man, with his level of accomplishment.
“We are constrained to disagree with him and clear the air over his needless vituperations.
“Where was the Retired General when former President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR decided to hire private security companies to keep surveillance over Federal Government owned oil assets?
“Is it a different military the nation had then, than it has now?
What prompted the former President Muhammadu Buhari to look outside the Nigerian Armed Forces to seek help for the protection of oil pipelines? Has the prevailing situation changed?
“We do not need knowledge of rocket science to throw light on the matter.
“The Armed Forces failed to live up to their duties. Right under their noses, crude oil thieves took over the nation’s oil production.
“The government lost its major source of foreign exchange earnings. Nigeria could barely produce 600,000 barrels per day, from its over 2.5 million barrels OPEC allotted quota.
“The government couldn’t live up to its responsibility to citizens. It went cap in hand in search of foreign loans.
“Where was General Olanrewaju, when Buhari needed advice? The old general’s tirades against private security firms surveillance of crude oil pipelines because of the Okuama slaughter of soldiers is unsolicited. It doesn’t resonate.
“The killing of officers and soldiers of the 181 Brigade, Bomadi has no nexus with pipeline surveillance. General Olanrewaju smelt a rat where there is none.
“Does the communal feud between Okuama and Okoloba communities have any connection with crude oil theft, or pipelines surveillance contracts? No!
“The retired General could not help with advice when President Buhari required it. The General must have been on another planet when Buhari was pushed to the wall over oil theft.
“Today, through the efforts of the private security companies, crude production has climbed to over 1.7 million barrels per day.
“The last report on the economy of the nation showed external foreign reserves of Nigeria have reached $34 billion. People other than the military rescued the situation.
“The press statement of General Olanrewaju had diluted intentions than meet the eyes. The local oil thieves and their international backers whose criminal activities were dealt crippling blows by the private security companies, have latched on the Okuama killings to raise their ugly heads once again.
“How else would one see it, other than, the old soldier is being hired by criminal oil barons or those failed contractors in their bid to secure the same pipelines contracts to clear the way for them to resume the plunder of the nation’s crude.
“As a retired general and elder statesman, Tajudeen Olanrewaju’s contribution to national discourse could be weighty.
“He should not make himself a fly in the ointment of the nation. He should not take the country on a tortuous journey back to Egypt.
“General Olanrewaju should take a closer look at those prodding him to take a centre stage with his unprofitable advice and suggestions to the government.
“He should not front for criminals with his well earned reputation, else he becomes an economic saboteur.
“The non-state actors or private security companies he criticized have received commendations for their success in ridding the nation’s waterways of illegal bunkerers, not only from Mr. President, but also from the Nigerian Army and National Assembly. Even the Nigerian Navy has finally accepted them as worthy associates.
“Has the general not heard of all these? What he didn’t add to his press release is whether the soldiers were killed by the private security contractors. Communal clashes occur everywhere across the country. There was one bloody one in Osun State recently, wa s it perpetrated by pipelines security contractors?,” the group queried.
