In the Niger Delta military ranking, Mr Kinsley Umoh Bassey is known as General, sorry, Ex-General 007. He and his boys who left the creeks to embrace the federal government amnesty programme appear to have lost out, as government seems not bothered about them any longer. But to help maintain peace and security, he says his boys took up voluntary surveillance of petroleum pipelines crisscrossing the length and breadth of the oil producing areas of Akwa Ibom State. Yet, neither the federal government nor its agencies appear interested. Now he says their patience is wearing out. Excerpts
On Amnesty
Some of our youths that are around were not integrated into the amnesty programme; since they were not integrated we were standing by to be integrated into this pipelines surveillance because most of these pipelines pass through people’s community like the ones at Ikot Abasi, Eket, then the ones at Ibeno Okobo and Mbo. Those are where we have the pipelines and those pipelines are being protected by us since we left the creeks.
So we protect those pipelines as our property. That is why you can see Akwa Ibom is number one oil producing state today because of the way we protect those pipelines. Now they have given Edo, Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers pipeline surveillance contract. But the one of Akwa Ibom still remains I have been writing to the Presidency, and to all sectors and NDDC.
We wrote to them in Abuja they said we should wait, for over nine to eleven months now we are still waiting. While others are commencing their own surveillance operations that of Akwa Ibom still remains stagnant. So we are not happy about that.
Are they paying those protecting the pipelines in those other states?
Yes they are paying. The boys are securing those pipelines so nobody will come from anyway to come and secure our property for us. The boys that protect those communities they know all the nooks and crannies of those areas. It is our duty to protect those pipelines in our community. We have been doing that since we came out from creeks. We have been protecting these pipelines but the Federal Government and NDC have not confirmed our appointment as they did to other states like Delta, Edo, Bayelsa and Rivers. So we are not happy. Since they did not take our boys in Akwa Ibom fully on amnesty programme, I think that should be in this one.
Were Akwa Ibom people officially involved in the militancy ?
We were involved but the problem is that we were not much in the struggle. But some of us like me they know as Ex-General Kingsley Umoh Bassey aka 007. That is the name; so I was there and some of our Akwa Ibom boys. So we were there but the problem is that we were not many like other states
The few of you that were from Akwa Ibom s tate did you go out when others were going out, when they said people should come out?
Yea! We went out but not everybody came out; some of us came out and surrendered but not everybody that came out.
Those that came out and surrendered; where are they now?
Initially you have to go through the non-violent training in Obubra for two weeks. Then after that you come back home, then there will be a time they will call you in case of any other training for skills. So, some of them have gone to Lagos, some have gone to South Africa, some are even in Dubai, some in Ghana, depending on your field of specialization
Did you come out then or what happened to you ?
I came out with some of the boys. I said to some of my boys that they should come, that the Federal government said that we should come out, that we should come if we are to go and die, let’s go and die; since we are fighting for the Niger Delta, against the suffering and negligence of the people of the Niger Delta. So those that lived for justice, they came out; some of them were afraid to come out so those that didn’t come out, they don’t benefit from anything.
Those that came out that you were supposed to be their leaders, what has happened to them?
And you in particular, has the federal or state government done anything to you?
When I come out as a leader, they all know that this is the leader and this is somebody from Akwa Ibom State. But they were not many, so when we went for general election, they decided to make an Ijaw boy to be overall. They now put me to be second in command in the state. So we were working but we did not agree. Then after that we said okay after the Ijaw man would stay up to some years, maybe two or three years the tenure will elapse, I can now continue. So that is why I’m coming out fully because this is my tenure.
Has the tenure of the Ijaw guy elapsed?
Yes, it has elapsed.
Now, you talk about securing the pipelines, how many of you are securing the pipelines, that the federal government has not done anything in terms of compensation?
As it is, we are over 3,000 boys. You know Akwa Ibom boys, when you ask them to do something, they are perfect with it and they can work and they are hungry to work; so we are over 3,000 working, because those pipelines pass through their villages, through their domains, through their communities. So they just voluntarily decided to secure to show the federal government and the people that it is their property and it is their right for them to protect their property.
What is the appointment package like in terms of payment?
If the government wants to be highly involved, I think there’ll be a quotation of the amount that will be paid, but for now there is no quotation we don’t how much will be paid, for now what we are doing it.
So can it be said that what you are doing now is voluntary job?
It is voluntary job for our state and for our community, in the interest of Nigeria and Niger Delta to show the good citizens that we have love for and in this country and in Niger Delta and in Akwa Ibom. So, that’s what we are doing now.
For how long will you continue like that?
We will continue. It is our duty, we will continue till we make sure that everything goes the way it is supposed to go in Nigeria and Niger Delta.
You are asking the federal government for anything?
Yes, we ask them that the boys are at work. Like me being the leader, some of the boys are already accusing me because they feel maybe I’m collecting something from the government, then I don’t come and tell them. So they are pointing fingers at me in which I’m doing it with open mind. They don’t pay me anything. So, the boys are worried, for now, that they have been doing it for long with no benefit. So they feel that I’m the one that is collecting their money.
Do you foresee any violence if maybe after sometime the federal government doesn’t look in your direction at all?
Yes; definitely; there will be violence because it is cheating. A hungry man is an angry man and when you are angry, you can go out with arms and do as you please.
