OKUAMA: Yoruba Group Condemns Retired General Over Statement on Private Security Contractors
UGHELLI/Nigeria: The O’Odua Integrity Network (OIN), a Yoruba group, has strongly criticized Retired Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju over his recent statement linking private security surveillance contractors to the killing of 16 soldiers in Okuama community, Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State.
In a statement signed by Chief Adewale Adeosun (President) and Mr. Ige Kilanko (Secretary), the OIN accused Olanrewaju of fronting for oil barons in the country and questioned why, at 78 years old, he would make himself available for what they described as “dirty jobs.”
The brutal killing of officers and soldiers of the 181 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Bomadi, Delta State, shocked citizens, with the OIN noting that such an incident had not been witnessed since the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua granted Niger Delta youths Presidential Amnesty over a decade ago.
The group expressed deep sorrow over the soldiers’ deaths and extended condolences to their families, hoping for eternal peace for the fallen heroes.
However, the OIN criticized Olanrewaju for his comments, stating that his knowledge of security matters had waned after many years in retirement. They rebuked his call for constitutionally recognized military institutions to handle security, arguing that the use of private security contractors was necessary to safeguard national assets, particularly oil installations.
The OIN clarified that private security providers were hired by the Federal Government to protect oil and gas equipment and should not be likened to militants, thugs, or bandits, as Olanrewaju had suggested.
The group highlighted their disagreement with Olanrewaju’s stance, emphasizing the importance of enlightening leaders on key matters. They also questioned the retired general’s whereabouts during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to hire private security companies to surveil federal government-owned oil assets.
The OIN concluded by asserting their commitment to addressing issues of public concern and ensuring that leaders’ conduct and statements align with the expectations of the Yoruba people.
Below Is The Full Statement From The Yoruba Group O’Odua Integrity Network (OIN):
OKUAMA KILLING OF 181 BRIGADE SOLDIERS: RTD MAJOR GENERAL TAJUDEEN OLANREWAJU UNSOLICITED MISREPRESENTATION OF PRIVATE SECURITY OIL PIPELINES SURVEILLANCE
*WHY WOULD A 78-YEAR OLD MAKE HIMSELF AVAILABLE FOR DIRTY JOBS?
The brutal killing of officers and soldiers of the 181 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Bomadi, Delta State, elicited shock amongst citizens of this nation. An incident of its type hasn’t been witnessed, nor thought of, since the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua granted Niger Delta youths Presidential Amnesty over a decade ago.
Therefore, the last week 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 Rtd, 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 flagged after many years in retirement.
In hurry to discharge the job he was hired to deliver, the retired general said constitionally recognisedmilitary 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 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 produced 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 pipelines surveillance.
General Olanrewaju smelt a rat where there is non.
Does the communal feud between Okuama and Okoloba communities has any connection with crude oil theft, or pipelines surveillance contracts? No!
The retired General could not help with advise when President Buhari required it. The General must being 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 has 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 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 tortuous journey back to Egypt.
General Olanrewaju should take a closer look at those prodding him to take a centre stage with his unprofitable advise 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, was it perpetrated by Pipelines security contractors?
These oil thieves are criminals indeed. Otherwise, why would they dust up a Yoruba leader in the person of an outstanding military officer like ex- General Tajudeen Olanrewaju to sacrifice his reputation and muster his contacts to ease out private security operators in an unpatriotic desire to return the country to the dark days when the oil thieves held the country by the jugular.
If the ex-General Olanrewaju must know, newspapers’ reports are awashed with revelations that one of the notorious oil bunkerers that he’s labouring to return to the centre stage of the criminal business is being wanted by the military in connection with the killings of the solders.
It’s sad that instead of our revered General Olanrewaju to condemn the killings of the soldiers and join other well-meaning stakeholders to call for the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators, he wilfully veered of the matters on hands by seizing the opportunity to serve his benefactors – the oil thieves.
He should be ignored in totality.
As young Yoruba folks, we are still dazed and amazed over what would compel a 78-year old dabble into this festering issue. Is it a case of hunger and deprivation?
Is he broke to the extent that he couldn’t pay his bills, a tempting situation that made him to be cheaply available to desperate oil buccaneers, who found his reputation attractive readily hired him to clear the way for the resumption of their illicit business of economic sabotage?
If it’s a case of senility or hallucination, commonly associated with persons in his age bracket, where are the children, who should be on his surveillance at this critical stage of his life?
It’s uncomplimentary that he would fall to the bait of crumbs from the table of the oil thieves to serve their purposes.
The retired General should recline in his armchair and play with his grandchildren and enjoy his pension.
He shouldn’t dabble into issues he can barely comprehend, especially pipelines protection matters that never exist while was in active service.
And if he is still strong on his feet, he should go to the golf course to while away his time with friends.
After all, old soldiers never die, they only fade away.
The retired General has long lost his bearings on security matters.
SIGNED: For O’ODUA INTEGRITY NETWORK (OIN)
Chief Adewale Adeosun Mr. Ige Kilanko
President Secretary
