The Niger Delta Ijaw Leaders Forum (NDLF), led by Com­rade Fedeke Ebipade, has assured President Muham­madu Buhari and multi-na­tional oil companies operat­ing in Gbaramatu Kingdom and the Niger Delta region of safe and secure operations.

In a press released made available on Tuesday in Warri, Delta State, the lead­er of the group assured that no facilities of oil com­panies operating in Ijaw land would be shut down to please some criminal mind­ed agitators in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area.

Ebipade assured Inter­national Oil Companies (IOCs) in other part of the Niger Delta region not to be distracted by those ex­pressing their selfish needs under the guise of the most respected Ijaw traditional kingdom in Delta State.

He strongly warned face­less groups against using Gbaramatu Kingdom to make careless statement capable of disrupting peace in the region.

His statement reads: “Count the Ijaw people, Gbaramatu Kingdom out of any criminal agitation. The Kingdom has maintained a towering reputation beyond ill-intentioned venture of sabotaging government’s efforts and scare away in­vestors from their land.

“An independent investiga­tion has revealed that the strug­gle to ensure that President Buhari appoints coordinator for the Presidential Amnesty Programme from among some cabals in Gbaramatu Kingdom has degenerated into criminal threats to renew hostilities in the region,” he said.

Ebipade further added that Gbaramatu Kingdom is not the only Ijaw people who fought for the development of Ijaw land and Niger Delta at large, therefore the Kingdom cannot claim all appointment and opportunities to Ijaw.

“They succeeded in threatening and pressuring Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State to impose their sons and daughters into the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Com­mission (DESOPADEC).

“Now the conspirators are hiding under the exclusion of Gbaramatu indigenes from the recently announced 52 marginal oil field allocated to interested Nigerians without considering people from oil bearing communities which we strongly condemn and call on President Buhari to im­mediately look into and give minimal of 70 percent to the people of oil producing areas like Gbaramatu Kingdom.”