TheCable

The Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) has withdrawn its men guarding pipelines belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) nationwide for alleged breach of contract by the corporation.

Speaking during an interview with NAN in Lagos, Yinka Oguntimehin, spokesman for the Gani Adams faction of the congress, claimed that for three months, members of the group have not been paid for the services they rendered to NNPC.

He said that the OPC personnel had continued to guard the pipelines with the belief that the corporation would fulfill its obligation but that it would stop operating from Monday night.

“When we were given the contract on March 15, it was agreed that they will release money for the OPC personnel for effective protection of the NNPC pipelines nationwide,” he said.

“We lost one man last month because of the activities of the vandals here in Lagos, while some of our men were arrested in the course of protecting the pipeline.

“We had told them to release some of our money before the new administration took over, but they kept promising us.

“Enough is enough, three months have passed since our members started monitoring the pipeline, and we have fulfilled our part of the agreement.

“By 10pm today, our personnel will move out of the NNPC pipelines nationwide and this applies to other groups in the country.”

The decision of the immediate past administration to award the multi-billion naira contract to the group led to criticisms.

Opponents of the government had alleged that the contract had a political undertone and that former president Goodluck Jonathan, who was then seeking re-election, had used it as an avenue to brighten his chances.

But Fredrick Fasheun and Adams debunked the allegations and commended the federal government for creating job opportunities for over 40, 000 youths in the southwest part of the country.

“All that should concern Nigerians is that the contract was awarded, that unemployment will be reduced by over 40,000 people. It is not Dr Fasehun that will execute the contract,” Fasheun had said.

“It is the youths of this country, many of whom are unemployed. So, if anyone is going to make a comment, it should be a positive comment…. And even if Jonathan was the one who thought of awarding the contract, God bless him.”

On his part Adams described it as an opportunity for the group to benefit from the country like their counterparts in the Niger Delta region.

“We are not part of the amnesty the Niger Delta (militants) have been enjoying which runs into billions of naira,” he had said.

“No dime was given to the OPC and we have paid our price and suffered casualties, more than the Niger Delta (militants) did. Why should it benefit only the Niger Delta and not the southwest too…. It will end hooliganism and empower youths.”