A group of former militants has declared that there would never be a Niger Delta Republic as proposed by the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) just as the ex-militants urged the NDA to stop hiding and come out publicly with its identity
The NDA, in a statement by its spokesman, Col. Murdoch Agbinibo, had declared that the group would, on October 16, launch its flag, currency, ruling council and territory of control, distinct from Nigeria,
However, the group of former militants, under the aegis of the defunct Niger Delta Liberation Force (NDLF) warned that it would fight any attempt to plunge the region into crisis by the action of the NDA.
NDLF, in a statement by its spokesman, Captain Mark Anthony, described the action of the NDA as “selfish and wicked” because its sponsors no longer have access to juicy contracts from the Federal Government.
It urged the Nigerian military to go after the NDA and bring them to book before they trigger crisis in the Niger Delta region, saying, “We want to distance ourselves from the proposed declaration of Niger Delta Republic and flag off of Niger Delta currency by Niger Delta Avengers.
“NDLF is not aware of such plan and would not support such calls to secede from Nigeria. Our son, former president Goodluck Jonathan just left office and you enjoyed juicy contracts from his administration. Today, you want all of us to fight President Muhammadu Buhari because it is no longer business as usual. You want to declare Niger Delta Republic. You and your ragtag army cannot fool us every day in Niger Delta”.
“We repeat, if you are real combatant generals, stop hiding your identity. Come up with your identity and face the Nigerian Army like the late NDLF leader, John Togo. NDLF is not part of your proposed Niger Delta Republic. We will support Niger Delta Republic when the right time comes. We urge the army to go after them as common criminals.”
Meanwhile, a Non-Governmental Organisation, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), has warned oil companies in Niger Delta against gas flaring.
The foundation gave the warning during a Break Free 2016 Environmental Campaign at Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom yesterday.
The group’s Co-ordinator, Mr. Nnimo Bassey, said oil companies cannot continue to burn fossil fuel as their extraction of oil is causing global warming.
“We can break free from fossil fuel, we cannot keep on burning fossil fuel and these companies knew many years ago that their extraction of oil is causing global warming,’’ Bassey said.
It would be recall that the new militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers has threatened to launch its currency, passport, ruling council, territory and flag in October 2016, revealing that its membership stretches across states in the Niger Delta and the South-East.
“By October 2016 we will display our currency, flag, passport, our ruling council and our territory to the world,” the NDA said.
