Vanguard
WARRI—The Federal Government has claimed losing N8.7 billion daily from sales of Niger-Delta crude oil, but Gbaramatu oil and gas communities said government should be more concerned about the loss of innocent lives to the military Joint Task Force (JTF) action against militants than money.
The executive forum of the Gbaramatu oil and gas producing communities said in a strongly worded press statement that they were more pained by the colossal loss and suffering of innocent women, children and mostly aged people and the continuous killing, maiming and bombing of defenceless people in the name of looking for militants.

The Gbaramatu oil/gas producing communities in the statement signed by Joseph Wurujail for Beeinkrukru, Kemeseyeita Ari for Kokodiagbene and Tikiwei Akpata for Okerenkoko said they could not find reason for heavy military attack on civil populace when those they claimed to be looking for live in camps.

According to the oil/gas forum leadership, there is no justification for the burning of the palace of the His Royal Majesty, Ogah-Gbaran 111, the Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom and the Gbaramatu Kingdom Guest House.

The group, which called on President Umaru Yar’ Adua to urgently withdraw the army of occupation from Gbaramatu communities.

It also called on the United Nation Secretary General to urgently set-up a special panel to investigate the military invasion of Gbaramatu communities in the name of looking for militants, stressing that the operation has resulted in the loss of several lives and billion naira properties belonging to individuals and communities that were not at war with the Joint Military Task Force(JTF).