NIGER DELTA CRISIS

SHELL PETROLEUM THWARTS 
DUTCH DELEGATION VISIT 




The facilitator of the visit by the Dutch parliamentarian to the Niger
Delta region Comrade Sunny Ofehe has cried out over what he called an
attempt to thwart his efforts by Shell management In conducting the
team round the region as earlier promised.
A statement issued in Port Harcourt, Rivers State by Comrade Ofehe,
reads “I want to bring it to your attention that Shell International
in collaboration with Shell Nigeria officials are making attempts to
thwart my efforts in helping the Dutch Member of Parliament, Miss
Sharon Gesthuizen achieve an unbiased exploratory tour of the Niger
Delta.
It should be recalled that I am an integral part of this visit to
Nigeria and as such deserve to stand with the MP throughout her stay
in Nigeria which is what was agreed before we left the Netherlands on
the Saturday 18th December 2010.”
Comrade Ofehe said the earlier arrangement by the official of Shell to
pick him at the Port Harcourt Airport with an Helicopter for the
airspace view was immediately changed as he was told by the Dutch
embassy official, Mr. Ronald Sonemanns after a meeting with Mr. Mutiu
Sunmonu (Shell Nigeria MD) in Lagos where a frank discussion took
place.
“To my grin surprise when we arrived at the Port Harcourt airport, we
were told by the man picking us that there was no space for me in the
vehicle! I immediately sensed foul play and agreed to take a taxi out
of the airport. The MP insisted we all must be together or she will
rather take the taxi out of the airport. I was finally allowed to
drive with the Shell team after some clandestine phone calls to
certain people at the top by the Shell pick up team.
It was nosurprise to me because I didn’t encourage that service in the first
place because I had my logistic plans for our team to be picked up at
the airport but retracted after I was told Shell has agreed to be
responsible”
The statement reads further. “The next day while we were driving to
one of our meetings, a phone call came from one Shell official, from
Shell Headquarters’ in The Hague stating that I should be dropped from
the team that visits Shell installations and meetings. The call came
through the telephone of the Dutch embassy official who has been with
us and the caller spoke to the Dutch MP and afterward it was agreed
that I would be left out of all related Shell’s meetings.
Ofehe lamented that Shell Nigeria acted on agenda that has become an
approach in Nigeria and the whole of the Niger Delta which has the
divide and rule policy.
  “ I am very convinced that Shell is acting on an agenda that has
become their approach in the Nigeria and indeed the Niger Delta which
is divide and rule policy. The question is that, why are they
uncomfortable with my presence in the tour of the Niger Delta with a
Dutch MP? Is there something they are hiding? I have agreed to stay
out and I hope that they achieve their game plan”
It will be recalled that Comrade Sunny Ofehe  Founder/President Hope
for Niger Delta Campaign
, a Nigerian based in the Netherlands has recently facilitate the
visit of Dutch MP to Nigeria with a view to conducting a hearing on
the Niger Delta crises in Dutch Parliament January 26 2011.