THE new militant group in the Niger Delta, the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), has stated that its ultimate goal is to secure a Sovereign State of Niger Delta for its people.
The group vowed to hoist its flag, display its currency and passport, ruling council and territory to the world come October 2016.
Spokesperson for the group, which had repeatedly claimed responsibility of the recent renewed pipeline bombings in the region, Colonel Mudoch Agbinibo, stated this in a press release made available to journalists on Thursday, in Warri, Delta State.
The group, which boasted it has crippled the nation’s economy by 50 per cent and still aiming at 100 per cent, said it had members among the Nigerian Army, noting that all the strategies and plans of the force were readily made available to them.
In a not-too-polished English, the group disclosed: “To the Nigerian military the Niger Delta avengers is among you. And we know all your plans so we will always 10 steps ahead of you.”
While issuing a note of warning to the military, it added: “In our meeting, comprising all heads of the strike teams, which was held in Bayelsa, the Niger Delta Avengers high command came to the conclusion that if the military harasses or invades any community in the region, then you (Nigerian military) will get a feel of the avengers.
“If you are smart or intelligent enough, you will look inward not outside. We know when you are vulnerable, but do not take our calmness for granted.”
Also, NDA described President Muhammadu Buhari and some of his cabinet members as practically ignorant of the actual situation and plight of the Niger Delta region, hence, their uninformed utterances on happenings in the area.
“To the president, Buhari, we are sure you have not been to the creeks of the Niger Delta before and 90 per cent of your cabinet members do not know how the region looks like.
“You think the Niger Delta region is full of animals, who are going to frustrate your government,” the group noted.
They accused Buhari of jettisoning the rule of law in his anti-corruption campaign, citing the detention of Nnamdi Kanu as uncivilised.
“Your government that is not following rule of law, unlawful detention of innocent people like Nnamdi Kanu.
“All he wanted was to let his people go. Nnamdi Kanu didn’t carry any arm against this country, but was incarcerated. We want you to know that’s no civilise president will behaves this way.
“If that is how you devised to run the country, we will prefer you do that in the Northern region. When couples are tired of living together to make peace, they go their separate ways. That is what Kanu and the Niger Deltans are asking.
“You always say you fought for the unity of this country during the Civil War. You haven’t been to the Niger Delta, how can you know what the people are facing I believe your vice will tell how the region is suffering and how underdeveloped it is when he visited the Forcados Terminal. That is if he ever looked out of his helicopter window,” the group said.
Meanwhile, the NDA has disclosed that its agitation is more refined and sophisticated that what was obtainable during the militancy of the likes of Mr Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo.
“To ex-agitators of the likes of Tompolo, we know why you people are after us. Our agitation is more civilised than yours; the Niger Delta Avengers is more concerned about people of Niger Delta unlike you (ex-agitators) who were into kidnapping, killing of Nigeria soldiers, sea pirates, vessel and tanker hijacking.
“But we were able to carry out all our operations without killing a fly. We have sophisticated arms far better than what you use to have during your kidnapping days,” the group boasted.
The new agitators accused former militants of having enjoyed patronage from oil multinationals and the Federal Government through the Amnesty Programme, but that NDA was solely after projecting the voice of the Niger Deltans to the world on what they were facing.
“In asmuchas we respect you as our elder brothers (ex-agitators), please don’t dare stand on our way because if you do, we will crush you,” the group warned.
The group further stated that some leaders of the group in the struggle were not limited only to the Ijaw ethnic nationality, but drawn from Eastern Nigeria, Itsekiri and from Akwa Ibom.
“To our brothers from Easterner Nigeria, whom have been condemning and calling us names, the simple fact you are living comfortable doesn’t mean we like you.
“The Commander of Strike Team 9 of the Niger Delta Avengers is from Eastern Nigeria, so nobody should limit this struggle to the Ijaws of the Niger Delta only.
“The leader of the Strike Team 6 that blew up Chevron Valve Platform is an Itsekiri. The Commander of our elite team strike team one is from Akwa Ibom.
“So if you are calling us empty heads, just know your brothers are part of Niger Delta Avengers as well,” it disclosed.
The group warned international oil companies to brace up for more pipeline bombings, saying “this is just the beginning and you have not seen anything yet. We will make you suffer as you have made the people of Niger Delta suffer over the years from environmental degradation and environment pollution.”
Also, the group had issued a two-week ultimatum to owners of oil blocs in the region to shut down or face dire consequences.
Angered by the fact that about 90 per cent oil blocs are owned by individuals from northern Nigeria, which it listed in the statement, the group warned that if at the expiration of the ultimatum they were still found operating, “it will be bloody.”
However, the group has urged the United Nations to support its cause of emancipation of Niger Deltans from what they described as “environmental pollution, slavery, and oppression.
“We want a country that will turn the creeks of the Niger Delta to a tourism haven, a country that will achieve its full potentials, a country that will make health care system accessible to everyone.
“With Niger Delta still under the country Nigeria, we can’t make it possible. So, we are calling on the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-Moon and all heads of the government of the five Permanent Security Council members to come to the aid of Niger Delta people.
“We are calling on world leaders to come to the Niger Delta to see the atrocities committed by the Nigerian government,” the group noted.
In the military’s reaction to the new NDA, the acting Director, Defence Information, Brigadier-General Rabe Abubakar, said the military had nothing to do with them, as they were making empty threats.
He said the military would continue to maintain law and order in all parts of the country, not only in the Niger Delta.
He said Nigerians had nothing to fear, as the military was equal to the task.
Abubakar added that the military was monitoring the situation closely.
Source:Tribune
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