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 is 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 grim 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 no surprise 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  recently facilitated thevisit of Dutch MP to Nigeria with a view to conducting a hearing on the Niger Delta crises in Dutch Parliament January 26 2011.