OIL & PEACE: NDDC Boss Vows to Protect Nigeria’s Economic Engine in Military Power-Talks

OIL & PEACE: NDDC Boss Vows to Protect Nigeria’s Economic Engine in Military Power-Talks

The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has reiterated its commitment to working closely with security agencies in the Niger Delta region to sustain peace, enhance security, and accelerate development across the region.

The NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, gave the assurance during a courtesy visit by the Commander, Joint Task Force (JTF), South-South, Operation Delta Safe, Rear Admiral Olugbenga Oladipo, and his entourage, comprising representatives of other security agencies, to the Commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt.

Ogbuku described the visit as significant, coming early in the year, and underscoring the importance the NDDC placed on security as a foundation for development.

He stated, “Without security, there will be no development. Our roles are intertwined, and we are all working towards the mandate of Mr President. No matter what we have done so far, we are not there yet until development reaches every doorstep in the Niger Delta region.”

The NDDC Managing Director emphasised that the Commission remained a firm believer in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, stressing that peace in the Niger Delta was critical to national prosperity, given the region’s strategic importance to Nigeria’s economy.

“The Niger Delta is the economic nerve of this nation. If the region is destabilised, it will affect the entire country’s economy. That is why we will not allow that to happen. Nigeria is prosperous today because there is peace in the Niger Delta, and this is largely due to the efforts of the security agencies,” he said.

Ogbuku assured the JTF Commander of the Commission’s readiness to sustain its support, recalling several interventions undertaken by the NDDC in support of security agencies across the region.

He said, “We have supported the 16 Brigade in Bayelsa State. We have also commenced work on a major army base project in Warri. Recently, we donated a naval base jetty, gunboats, and houseboats to the Nigerian Navy in Ayakoro and Ayama, both in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. We will continue to do more for the security agencies in the interest of peace and development in the Niger Delta.”

According to him, sustained peace will open up economic opportunities, attract foreign investment, and create jobs for the region’s teeming youths, adding that employment generation remains a critical pathway to long-term stability.

Earlier, the Commander, Joint Task Force, South-South, Operation Delta Safe, Rear Admiral Olugbenga Oladipo, said the visit was to formally notify the NDDC of his assumption of duties and to strengthen collaboration between the task force and the Commission.

He noted that the JTF’s core mandate was to protect the Niger Delta and ensure a secure environment for oil and gas production and other economic activities.

“Our job is to protect the Niger Delta, and we need your support. We are also here to support you. During the Christmas season, we ensured that the Niger Delta was safe. Today, the Niger Delta is one of the safest regions in the country, and companies are returning. Workers are safe, and economic activities are picking up,” Oladipo said.

He added that Operation Delta Safe was unique for integrating multiple security agencies operating on land, sea, and air to ensure comprehensive security coverage in the region.

Rear Admiral Oladipo called for sustained partnership with the NDDC to ensure increased crude oil production, lasting peace, and the projection of the Niger Delta positively on the global stage, in line with the President’s mandate.

Present at the meeting were the Executive Director, Corporate Services, Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde, and members of the NDDC management team.