A Yoruba Group, O’Odua Integrity Network (OIN) has expressed disbelief and shock on the statement attributed to former Minister of Communications, Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju (Rtd), on the savage murder of 17 military personnel at Okuama, Ugheli South Local Government Area of Delta.

The retired General had tried to create a curious link between private security oil surveillance contractors and the dastardly murder of innocent soldiers by the youths of Okuama.

OIN in a statement issued on Sunday expressed deep reservations on why the General’s statement corroborates the unpatriotic narrative being peddled by oil barons and their paid agents who are troubled by the gains of the campaign against oil theft in the country.

The group in the statement signed by Chief Adewale Adeosun (President) and Mr. Ige Kilanko (Secretary), stated that the savagery perpetrated against the safety and security of Nigeria is unheard of in the history of the Niger Delta agitation.

The group urged Nigerians to discountenance the retired Army General, saying thst his knowledge of recent security challenges may have been dulled by several years into retirement.

OIN group commiserated with the Nigerian military on the unfortunate incident and urged them to ensure that the culprits are tracked down and made to face the full wrath of the law.

The group said it is dismayed by the unwarranted invectives, the ex-General poured on the operators of private surveillance security providers hired by the Federal Government to safeguard the nation’s oil and gas equipment, where he labeled them as militants, thugs and hoodlums, who are not different from bandit

OIN noted that as a Yoruba group familiar with the genesis of the enlistment of the private security provider for the tasks of safeguarding the oil assets, they believed that the ex-General should be enlightened and educated on the matter.

They said that their response also became expedient because as a Yoruba group, they are bothered about the public conduct and utterances of their leaders, adding that; “Ex-Gen Tajudeen Olanrewaju in pouring the unwarranted venoms displayed arrant and exhibited unpardonable ignorance unexpected of a Yoruba man, with his level of accomplishment. 

“Having read this widely circulated press statement, as a Yoruba group familiar with the genesis of the enlistment of the private security provider for the tasks of safeguarding our national assets, we believe that the ex-General should be enlightened and educated on the matter…

“Where was the Retired General when former President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR decided to hire private security companies to keep surveillance over Federal Government owned oil assets?

“What prompted the former President Muhammadu Buhari to look outside the Nigerian Armed Forces to seek help for the protection of oil pipelines? Has the prevailing situation changed?”

“We do not need knowledge of rocket science to throw light on the matter,” the OIN said.