A group made up of 8 different groups of Niger Delta Militants who met on Friday in Porthacourt have called on the Federal Government to return all oil blocks that are under the control of northerners to the people of the oil producing region.
The
militant groups and their leaders include John Duku (Niger Delta Watchdogs);
Ekpo Ekpo (Niger Delta Volunteers): Osarolor Nedam (Niger Delta Warriors) and
Henry Okon Etete (Niger Delta Peoples Fighters).
Others
are Asukwo Henshaw (Bakassi Freedom Fighters); Ibinabo Horsfall (Niger Delta
Movement for Justice); Duke Emmanson (Niger Delta Fighters Network) and
Inibeghe Adams (Niger Delta Freedom Mandate).
Leaders
of the eight groups had stated in a statement on Friday that the region shall
declare its independence on 1st October, 2017 thereby setting itself free from
the enslavement and oppression by the North.
In
a statement released after their meeting in Port Harcourt, the militant leaders
warned all companies operating on such oil blocks to vacate within three
months.
The
agitators explained that their action was based on the ultimatum given by some
northern youth groups to the Igbo to vacate the North within three months.
The
statement read, “A coalition of the Niger Delta militants met today in Port
Harcourt to review the recent call by Arewa youth groups that the Ndigbo should
vacate all the northern states within three months.
“We
see the declaration by Arewa youths as a consultative declaration, which the
northern elders, leaders, political elite, security heads from the North and
governors were fully aware of.
“We
demand 100 per cent control of our resources. We demand that the Federal
Government should hand over all oil blocks owned by the northerners to Niger
Delta indigenes. All the companies operating in such oil blocks/wells should
vacate within three months.
“The
Federal Government should immediately relocate the Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation and all the offices that have to do with oil/gas sector back to
Niger Delta states and immediately replace the Group Managing Director (of
NNPC) with an indigene of Niger Delta.
“All
northern indigenes working in NNPC and any other board that has anything to do
with oil/gas should be sacked with immediate effect.
“We
demand an independent and sovereign Republic of Niger Delta. We are tired of
living with the North under Nigeria. We are tired of the President’s sentiments
to the Niger Delta people.
“The
President can have time to receive the Chibok girls, but could not have time to
meet with the Representatives of the Niger Delta agitators. Our money has been
used to fund Boko Haram, a problem created by the northerners in order to use
it as a conduit to siphon off the resources of Niger Delta.
“On
October 1, 2017, we shall declare our independence, come rain, come shine. We
shall take our destiny in our hands and free ourselves from the slavery of the
North as they are tired of one Nigeria.”
They
maintained that all the companies and businesses owned by the northerners in
Niger Delta should be vacated within three months, saying, “From October 1,
2017, we don’t want to see any northerner close to (the) Niger Delta; any
attempt to penetrate shall meet fierce resistance. This time, we are not going
to play defence, but attack.”
They
also called on all agitating groups to resume attacks and bombings of all oil
and gas pipelines, especially the exporting lines across the Niger Delta region
with immediate effect, saying the measure was aimed at ensuring zero oil and
gas production before October 1, 2017.
They
further said, “We also demand that the Federal Government should immediately
replace the Inspector General of Police with an indigene of the South-West, the
Director-General of the Department of State Services with an indigene of
South-East, and the National Security Adviser with an indigene of South-South.
“The
Speaker, House of Representatives should voluntarily resign and hand over to an
indigene of the South-South.”
Meanwhile
a coalition known as The Northern Youth Groups has issued a statement after their meeting,
on Thursday, in Kaduna, insisting that the north will not be part of a
federation that includes the Igbo and called on the Federal Government of
Nigeria to as a matter of urgency, initiate the process for a peaceful
referendum to allow the Igbo to go.
From
punch online
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