By Adesina Soyooye
For Niger Deltans, especially, the Militants in the region, who think they are hurting Nigeria by blowing up oil pipelines, President Muhammadu Buhari is laughing at their expense. He is sympathising with them, and chiding them.
Many times, Militants in the region had blown up the oil pipelines in their region, either in protest against one injustice or the other, or atimes, to steal oil. But the President has nothing but pity for them.
He said they are hurting themselves, and their region, communities, and people, more than they are hurting other Nigerians because it affects their everyday life more than it affects other Nigerians.
But he, also, warned those vandalising the oil installations to stop, threatening that henceforth, residents of the area will bear the consequences. They should be vigilant, he advised.
Mr President spoke on Friday to State House Correspondents, after observing the Eid- el-Kabir prayers with his family members and very close aides.
Noted the President: “Those who are blowing pipelines, and interfering with the production of petroleum products are hurting their people more than the rest of Nigerians because majority of their people are fishermen, fisherwomen and farmers.
“Now, if they pollute the land and the waters, the fish goes into the deeper sea where the people cannot go, and they cannot grow anything. They are hurting their immediate communities more than any other thing.”
The vandalisation and/or blowing up of oil pipelines in the region seems normal in the region than an aberration, thus causing the pollution of their waters and farms.
