Militants threaten renewed violence in N’ Delta over NDDC, Amnesty programme

…demand Akpabio’s sack

Michael Gabriel, Port Harcourt

A coalition of Niger Delta militants have threatened to resume attacks on oil installations in the Niger Delta region if within 21 days President Muhammadu Buhari refuses to address their concerns about the Niger Delta Development Commission and the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

The militants specifically called for the immediate removal of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and the dissolution of the Interim Management Committee of NDDC.

The militants in a communique at the end of their extraordinary meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, also requested the immediate appointment of a new National Coordinator, Presidential Amnesty Programme.

According to them, “The Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators (CNDA), hereby, issues a 21-day ultimatum to the Presidency to address all demands. Failure to do so will undoubtedly result in our withdrawal of Ceasefire and we shall be constrained to resume hostilities in the Niger Delta region which will culminate in the shutting down of all oil exploitations and explorations in the country.”

The communique was signed by John Duke, Niger Delta Watchdog (NDW) and also the Convener of CNDA; Ekpo Ekpa, Niger Delta Volunteers (NDV); Osarolor Needam, Niger Delta Warriors (NDW); Henry Etete, Niger Delta Peoples Fighters (NDPF) and Asukwo Henshaw, Bakassi Freedom Fighters.

Others are Ibinabo Horsefall, Niger Delta Movement for Justice (NDMJ); Duke Emmanson, Niger Delta Fighters Network (NDFN); Inibeghe Adams, Niger Delta Freedom Mandate (NDFM); Abiye Tariah, Niger Delta Development Network (NDDN); Joshua Ebere, Renew Movement for Emancipation of Niger Delta, among others.

While calling for the removal of Akpabio, the militants accused the minister of creating the confusion currently engulfing the entire Niger Delta region, insisting that with Akpabio’s presence the NDDC would never have a fair probe.

They said, “We cannot expect to have a genuine, transparent and free probe when an individual like Godswill Akpabio has a hand in the affairs of the commission. The so-called forensic audit will only be a mere exercise only targeted at Senator Akpabio’s ‘enemies’ who may have had one thing or more to do with either the NDDC or the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.