By Obiabin Onukwugha
An Environmental body, Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre, Nigeria (YEAC-Nigeria), has condemned the use of fighter jets to carry out air strikes on artisanal refining sites, citing the environmental implications of destroying the already degraded Niger Delta ecosystem.
This air component of Operation Delta Safe, OPDS, had announced recently that it bombed illegal refining sites along the creeks of Rivers, and as well kidnap camps in Cross River State.
Reacting to the development, Executive Director of YEAC Nigeria, Mr. Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, condemned the action of the OPDS to use fighter jets in bombing vessels, badges, boats and suspected illegal refinery sites.
Fyneface called on President Bola Tinubu to prevail on the military to exercise restraints, and advocated for the adoption of ‘carrot and stick’ approach to address the menace of artisanal refineries in the Niger Delta. He also advocated for alternative livelihoods for youths directly involved in artisanal refining activities as a way of curbing the menace.
He said while YEAC-Nigeria campaigns against artisanal refining and pollution through advocacy the using Presidential Artisanal Crude Oil Refining Development Initiative, PACORDI; Network on Organized Crime in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea, NOCINAG platforms, there was need for the presidency to come up with oil theft mitigation mechanisms.
He said: “YEAC-Nigeria is not pleased with the use of fighter jets, bombs and other war explosives by security operatives in the fight against oil theft and artisanal refineries in the Niger Delta, due to the devastating effect of those war approaches, when the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, Tantita Security Services, Army and other anti-bunkering teams are already deployed and making steady progress.
“Most worrisome about the use of fighter jets to bomb illegal refinery sites is the environmental implications of the crude oil destroyed into the environment and the soot it generates as well of the impact of the action on the ecosystem, aquatic lives and livelihoods of fishermen.
“YEAC-Nigeria condemns this approach and called for restraints while reiterating the call for the use of a combination of the carrot and stick approach to address the menace of pipeline vandalism, oil theft and artisanal refineries in the Niger Delta.”