Niger Delta: Another deadly militant group emerges, vows to bring down NDDC, others

Another deadly militant group has emerged in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.

The new group, known as Niger Delta Revolutionary Crusaders, NDRC, Monday joined the Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, who had recently declared its intention to resume attacks on oil installations in the oil-rich region. The development is coming following the Federal Government’s alleged plan not to dialogue with the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF.

NDRC in a statement by its spokesperson, WOI Izon-Ebi, noted that, “After a keen observation of our ceasefire, declared on the 17th day of November, 2016, the Niger Delta Revolutionary Crusaders want to resume attacks with a warning to the Nigerian government and the oil multinationals to be ready for the consequences of their oppressive and devilish politicization of the Niger Delta agitation and failure to utilize the precious intervention of our distinguished royal fathers and elders of PANDEF.”

The statement alleged that the Federal Government had turned the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, to the All Progressives Congress, APC, secretariat.

It warned that the Commission “will be the first casualty of the renewed hostilities in the region because what we have discovered is so outrageous and shameful.”

According to the statement: “We want to sound it loud again to the Federal Government that we are fully in support of the Niger Delta Avengers’ Operation Wall of Jericho and Hurricane Joshua to knock all oil operations down in the country because enough-is-enough, our next line of action is not to warn the federal government again, because we have the capacity as the gods are with us.

“We are freedom fighters that respect our elders, leaders, and royal fathers. But we take our directives from the gods of the Niger Delta. Any planned humiliation of our elders, leaders, and royal fathers could give room to the gods to pour their blessing to all genuine agitators and freedom fighters to defend their motherland from external aggression that is being spearheaded by the Fulani caliphate of systematic cleansing and grabbing of territories.

“We have confidence in the convener/leader of PANDEF, former Federal Commissioner for Information, Chief Edwin Clark, former military governor of Old Rivers state, HRM King Alfred Diete Spiff, former governor of Akwa-Ibom State, Obong Victor Attah, both co-chairmen of PANDEF and other leaders of the group, contrary to the claim of the Presidency that the group lacked credible leaders. These are well-respected leaders that control respect in the Niger Delta region.

“So, why is the Federal Government politicizing and trying to discredit these distinguished personalities of the Niger Delta for their sincere effort to appease the agitators and freedom fighters of the Niger Delta to give peace a chance and halt all hostilities.

“The Federal Government was never sincere, all they were looking for was just to buy time to enable them to prepare, acquire sophisticated arms to commit genocide against the defenseless people of the Niger Delta. It has been revealed and every right thinking Nigerian is now aware that the Buhari -led administration is more clueless than the past administration of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.”

On NDDC, it affirmed that: “The Federal Government has turned NDDC to APC secretariat. NDDC was established by the past administration of Olusegun Obasanjo because of the sacrifice of the Niger Delta youths for the development of the region and the empowerment of the Niger Deltans, irrespective of their political affiliation, but it has come to our notice that instead of the NDDC to be responsible to its primary responsibility of developing the Niger Delta and empowering its people, it is now used as a political machinery of the APC to cause disunity among the Niger Delta youths and its people.‎

“NDDC will be the first casualty of the renewed hostilities in the region because what we have discovered is so outrageous and shameful. We are sounding it as a warning to the Executive Director of Finance directly and all board members to retrace their steps because the NDDC was born out of the blood and sacrifice of Niger Delta youths. They should be warned because they and their family members could pay dearly for this sinful and devilish conspiracy against the Niger Delta.”

Meanwhile, a Niger Delta activist, Sheriff Mulade, has pleaded with the Niger Delta Avengers not to resume hostilities, saying peaceful negotiation remained the best option for the region.