RE: IJAW YOUTH COUNCIL ETC. PETITIONS ON “NIGERIA AGIP OIL COMPANY (NAOC) MANAGEMENT’S DELIBERATE INCITEMENT TO VIOLENCE WHICH IS CAPABLE OF CAUSING BREAKDOWN OF LAW AND ORDER: A CALL FOR URGENT INTERVENTION “AND” SYSTEMATIC DECIMATION OF NIGER DELTANS IN NAOC AND THE NEED TO PUT AN END TO IT”.

The above subject matter refers the attention of the Niger delta Youth Forum (NDYF, an umbrella body of all youth organizations in the Niger Delta Region) has been drawn to an orchestrated campaign of calumny being deliberately perpetuated by some mischievous and disgruntled elements seeking to cause discontent, insecurity, hatred and a possible ethnic cleansing in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria for their parochial and self-centered interests.

After a thorough investigation of the claims put forward by the IYC, Ijaw Youth Parliament and the concerned landlords of the swamp and land areas operation of the Nigeria AGIP oil company; we fear that a concerted and ethnic pogrom on a certain section of the Niger Delta people. It is pertinent to point out that from a cursory appraisal of the petitions above mentioned, there is a design to get rid of Mrs. Callista Azogu  by some disgruntled elements championed by few selfish people of Ijaw extraction. It is also manifest that their present actions regurgitate and bring to the surface the ancient fear and hatred felt by some people against the “Igbos” even within the Niger Delta region; Suffice it to mean that we view this as an attempt to balkanize the Niger Delta more in view of the fact that Imo State (from where Mrs Callista Azogu hails from) is an oil producing area included in the NDDC and her locality (oguta) has been an operational base to NAOC since 1964 till date, so any attempt to exclude her from being a Niger Deltan in the scheme of affairs is considered segregatory.

Our investigation reveal that prior to Mrs. Azogu’s appointment as Deputy Managing Director/General Manager Human Resources an organization of NAOC; the previous GMH/DMD (from Bayelsa state and GMH (from Rivers state) were from the states above mentioned and these states rode rough shod over the affairs of NAOC and after the management of NAOC deemed it necessary to upturn the status-quo and appoint a worthy and qualified woman of another tribe of the Niger Delta (Mrs. Callista Azogu) the selfish cabal within the Niger Delta region vehemently resorted to a calumny of false, baseless and malicious campaign against her because it is no longer business as usual. Amongst the myriads of baseless accusations leveled against her and her Igbo brethren, which we shall refute include:

(1) Unemployment of Niger Deltans in NAOC, cheating, maltreatment, ethnic profiling, work place victimization, systematic annihilation, willful denial of contracts in violation of the local content Act, stunted growth in place of work, being subjected to inhuman treatment and violation of operational laws governing the oil and gas industries in Nigeria as well as the perpetuation and institutionalization of the ethnic and tribal dominance, secret employments, hijacking and monopolization of key offices and contracts by Mrs. Azogu and her Igbo kinsmen, discriminatory and fraudulent employments and appointments as well as attributing environmental degradation, damages to the ecosystem resulting from oil spills etc. to Mrs. Azogu and her Igbo kindred; whom they claim, prevent them from heading top positions in NAOC

*NOTE: that they also attribute dismissals, attempted kidnaps, willful resignations of staff and attempted assassinations of staff to the Igbos and management of NAOC under a purported “IGBO AGENDA” and deliberate anti-community policy of NAOC.

We hereby categorically state that from our findings, NAOC is a subsidiary of ENI SPA, a global energy company operating in over sixty (60) countries in compliance with (in) national laws, regulations and international best practices. The company guided by strong values to ensure fairness, transparency, honesty and integrity in all its activities and the company system of policies and internal controls respect the highest international standards. Also noteworthy is the fact that the company’s approach to human rights is integrated into the company’s mission; as it is an integral part of NOAC’s identity and its way of doing business. It builds on the dignity of every human being and on the company’s responsibility to contribute to the well-being of local individuals and communities. Indeed, NAOC believes that business must respect internationally recognized human rights as established by the United Nation’s guiding principles on Business and Human Rights.

Saliently; it is vital to note that in rebuttal of the spurious claims by the above mentioned petitioners; recruitments, personnel rotation, careers, tenders, procurement activities as well as any other decision of the company follow STRICTLY LAID DOWN RULES & REGULATIONS, defined at headquarters level with a set of checks and audits. Consequentially; it is not possible for any individual (and more particularly Mrs. Callista Azogu and any of her ethnic group) to take unilateral decision without going through the laid down processes and hierarchies. Therefore, it follows that all frivolous and improved allegations of one ethnic group secretly controlling processes, contract awards and budget of the company are baseless, false, malicious, selfish and detrimental to the sustainable growth of the Nigeria and Italian economies.

Based on our findings, we state categorically that more than half of the present managerial personnel of NAOC are form Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta states whilst the remaining half are shared by eighteen (18) states of the federation including Imo state (where Mrs. Callista Azogu hails from and is included in the NDDC) that is one of the operating locations of NAOC since over 55 years. Also note that about three quarter (3/4) of the total matriculated workforce now at NAOC hails from Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta states whilst the remaining one quarter (1/4) positions are shared by 18 states of the federation. Following, any claims about domination of one ethnic group over others in their affairs of NAOC in the Niger Delta region or marginalization are unfounded, false, baseless, selfish and malicious.

Also be informed that about 80% of the contract personnel working presently in the NAOC’s various locations hail from Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta states of the Niger Delta region whilst the remaining 20% are shared by other states (including Imo state, which is also part of NAOC’s operational states). About 88% of the contractors providing contract personnel are from Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta whilst 12 % are from 5 other states and so this campaign of calumny against Mrs. Callista Azogu Championed by selfish and parochial elements from Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta states must be discountenanced and taken with a pinch of salt.

Also noteworthy is the fact that the NAOC does not and neither does Mrs. Callista Azogu have any affiliation to any political or tribal bodies in Nigeria as that is against its regulations, so we unearthed from our findings that references in the press release videos and television interview by the above mentioned petitioners are completely misdirected, misleading and deliberately mischievous. Regarding the issue of secret employment; we are reliably informed that NAOC has not recruited ANY NEW PERSONNEL in the company during the tenure of the current Deputy Managing Director/General Manager Human Resources five years ago and this is consequent upon the company’s staff optimization programs based on business needs and emerging economic trends.

We vehemently denounce the above referred to petition, press conference and videos etc. against the NAOC and our Niger Delta sister (Mrs. Callista Azogu); and we posit that the company (NAOC) and Mrs. Callister Azogu reserves all the rights and remedies in relation to whoever disseminates false, malicious, and deceitful and negatively inciting the people or society against them.

As manifest from the utterances of the petitioners; kidnaps and assassination have been attempted or actualized (which we believe are perpetuated between desperate power or office seekers from Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta States) and we fear that the life of Mrs. Callista Azogu and other of her ilk; are dangerously and imminently threatened; the actions of the petitioners is deemed grossly irresponsible and capable of endangering the lives of personnel of the company from a particular part of the country whilst inciting unnecessary ethnic tension, violence; can create confusion, tension and instability.

Summarily, note that neither Mrs. Callista Azogu or her Igbo brethren issue contracts or recommend anyone for award of contracts and Mrs. Callista Azogu is STRICTLY saddled with the responsibility of staff development; promotion of personnel are not handled by her office alone, rather promotion is a structured process involving LINE MANAGERS and HIERACHIES who make recommendations to the board for approval. The same approval process goes for employment.

To this end, we therefore appeal to the management of NAOC to immediately disregard the allegations against Mrs. Callista Azogu since it is obvious that the petitioners are disgruntled elements, sponsored by power and office seekers from Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta states in NAOC and call on the management of NAOC to immediately investigate this insubordination perpetrated by its staff and possibly prosecute the culprits.