Otuaro Expresses Delight Over Militia Group, ‘Avengers’ Shelved Attacks On Oil Installations 

Acting Governor of Delta State, Barr. Kingsley Burutu Otuaro has expressed delight over the shelving of “Operation Cripple Delta Oil” by militant group which styled itself as’ New Delta Avengers’.

BigPen Online recalls that the militant group had call its plans to bomb installations mainly in Delta State following the reported intervention of elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark.

A statement by Senior Special Assistant on Communications and Press to the Acting Governor, Mr. Bulou Kosin, said Otuaro, who was the Chairman of the Delta State Advocacy Committee Against Oil Facility Vandalism, had appealed to the militant group to resort to dialogue in place of violence.

According to him, their planned attacks would only deplete state resources for the development of the oil communities they claimed to be fighting for.

Otuaro who reacted to the warning by the militant group that the Delta State Government should take advantage of the ceasefire to resolve issues of their agitation, while addressing newsmen in Warri, weekend, insisted that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has overtime showed commitment to the development of oil communities as well as the entire state.

“As a state government, we have insisted over time that we will not hide under a national economic recession to abandon our development agenda for the entire state.

“We will continue to do our best and I insist that the results of our commitment to development of oil bearing communities will soon find expression in commissioning of approved projects in the area”, Otuaro added.

On the alleged frustration of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) by the Delta State Government, the Acting Governor said: “Governor Ifeanyi Okowa who restructured DESOPADEC via a law, intent on better service delivery and accountability, cannot turn around to frustrate it, knowing he would incur the wrath of oil bearing communities”.

Otuaro said instead of oil facility vandalism that will throw the state back to biting recession, there was need to attract and retain funds and maintain security for ongoing development projects in oil communities.

“I thank and appeal to the Avengers to consummate the dialogue process for peace. We call for embrace of our hands of fellowship in the development of the state”, the statement concluded.