N’DELTA: Tension as distrust for Buhari pushes militants to gear up for war

There is palpable tension in the Niger Delta region over a higher dimension of renewed hostilities in the oil rich region by militants.

This is coming about four days after elders in the region, under the aegis of Pan-Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, and led by one time federal commissioner of information, Chief Edwin Clark met with President Muhammadu Buhari over the situation in the region, and presented a 16-point request to the president for peace to reign in the region.

However, there are reports that soon after the meeting, soldiers allegedly raided Tebujor in Gbaramatu clan, an Ijaw community, arresting a traditional head and a student.

Sources say one Chief Moses Bebenimibo, who was on his way to Oporoza, the traditional headquarters of the Gbaramatu clan, was arrested by the troops, as well as a student of Gbaraun Grammar School, Oporoza.

Residents of the affected community are said to have taken to hiding in the bushes as the soldiers raided the community, reportedly in search of militants.

There are also allegations in some quarters that during the meeting with the elders, President Buhari was unable to give any strong commitments, even though the meeting had been planned for weeks.

They allege that it was because the president may not have fully made up his mind about the course of action to take, as far as the Niger Delta region is concerned, as he is still awaiting feedbacks from his service chiefs on the situation on ground, and how they feel it should be handled.

This has created a level of distrust among many people in the region as to the commitment of government to the peace moves initiated, even as there are claims that the security agencies may have also been given a presidential order to identify militant leaders, their locations and camps in the region.

Meanwhile, some militants opposed to the peace initiative have declared a total war to drastically cut the supply of crude oil, which they claim is the government’s only interest in that region.

The Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate (NDGJM) have vowed to cripple the industry, adding, that “As a matter of fact, what the Avengers did to the oil industry will be nothing compared to the grand plan already set by our central command. We shall bring Nigeria’s daily output quota to below 500,000 barrels. Just be ready for the approaching tsunami.
Read also: Peace may be still elusive as Niger Delta host communities issue fresh demands

The militant group’s spokesman, Aldo Agbalaja in a statement on Saturday night accused the Buhari-led government of plotting to wage war against the people of the Niger Delta region, and insisted that any peace meeting without former militants in attendance will achieve nothing.

The NDGJM also insinuated that the government’s peace move is a smokescreen to fully achieve its aim of militarizing the area in readiness for a full onslaught on the militants. Abgalaja however said, “we want to dare President Buhari and his administration to attempt or fully carry out his military action against our people and see the response that will follow.

“We want to say here, without mincing words, that we are aware of his intentions. We heard loud and clear his hostile message, we understand his message and the NDGJM is saying we are ready for him. We know he has reportedly threatened war on our people; we had been calm enough not to respond to the threats, but at this point, we believe it is time for us to come out to say to him ‘enough is enough.’

“If it is war, bring it on, we are no cowards, just be sure you can sustain the consequences because this is not going to be another vanquished ‘Biafran Uprising’. Niger Deltans are nobody’s slaves; we shall fight until there’s nothing left to defend.”

To the oil companies in the region, NDGJM said “The multinational oil companies, we know you are recalcitrant and will always come to test wills, we hope you will continue in this tradition so there will always be reason to let the world know that ‘you don’t contest the corners of a house with the owner of the house.’

“The destruction of the Trans-Forcados Pipeline is just a warning. We warned against the restarting of the facility, but the daring companies won’t listen. That shadow operation that brought the TFP down was only meant to let these companies know that we aren’t kidding with them; when we say stay down, you stay down, and it’s in your best interest.”

Also, spokesperson of the Niger Delta Peoples Democratic Front (NDPDF) General Playboy, faulted the elders’ meeting with Buhari, which he said was only used to present their selfish interests.

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According to him, “The stakeholders are talking about negotiation. They are talking about $10bn for Niger Delta people; they (stakeholders) are thinking about oil blocs that will be released to Niger Delta people and how they will share it among themselves. That is the only thing they are thinking of.

“They have refused to talk about the fact that there is a matter against Tompolo that should be dropped. None of the stakeholders is thinking about others; they are only thinking of themselves. But it will not work as far as I am concerned except President Buhari comes down here to know the problem of the Niger Delta. That is when Nigeria will have peace. If not, there will be no peace. We are not interested in what the stakeholders went to do in Abuja.’’

The Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) while challenging Buhari to visit the region and not rely solely on information from his political friends from the region, also advised the president against dealing with “sycophants in his cabinet” if he really wants to achieve peace in the region.

Spokesperson of the NDA, Brig. Gen Mudoch Agbinibo, in a statement on Saturday said, “You cannot treat the Niger Delta with disdain while you treat your brothers that are terrorists and kidnappers (Boko Haram) like kings and queens by committing the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement from Geneva to witness your transactions with them, before they released their hostages to you.”

“Let Muhammadu Buhari be advised to come down from his ethnic and religious fundamentalist iron horse to lead the Federal Government dialogue and negotiations team with neutral international observers and representatives of international oil companies.”

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