Politics
NDIGBO QUIT NOTICE: Niger Delta militants join in, demand FG retrieves oil blocks from northerners
A coalition of eight Niger Delta militant groups have given all companies working on oil blocks in the region to within three months vacate the place.
The groups also called on the Federal Government to return all oil blocks presently controlled by northerners to the people of the region.
This is coming on the heels of a statement from some youth groups in the north who issued an ultimatum for the Igbos to leave the north by October 1.
The Niger Delta groups threatened that by that October 1, they would declare independence of Niger Delta region.
This was contained in a statement leaders of the eight groups released after their meeting in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Those who signed the statement include Niger Delta Watchdogs , Niger Delta Volunteers, Niger Delta Peoples Fighters, Niger Delta Warriors, Bakassi Freedom Fighters, Niger Delta Movement for Justice, Niger Delta Fighters Network and Niger Delta Freedom Mandate.
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.”
“From October 1, 2017, we don ’t want to see any northerner close to Niger Delta; any attempt to penetrate shall meet fierce resistance. This time, we are not going to play defence, but attack,” part of the statement read.
Read also : Northern Elders back youths, say Igbo must go
The groups further called on all agitating militants to resume attacks and bombings of all oil and gas pipelines, especially the exporting lines across the Niger Delta region with immediate effect.
They added, “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.”
Leaders of the militant who signed the released include John Duku (Niger Delta Watchdogs); Ekpo Ekpo (Niger Delta Volunteers) : Osarolor Nedam (Niger Delta Warriors ) and Henry Okon Etete (Niger Delta Peoples Fighters).
The rest 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).
RipplesNigeria ….without borders, without fears
Click here to download the Ripples Nigeria App for latest updates
Join the conversation
Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism
Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.
As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.
If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.
Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.
INVESTIGATION: In Kwara, multimillion-naira milk processing plant is abandoned, converted to a chicken outlet
After the government spent millions of naira to establish a milk processing plant in Kwara State that would provided jobs...
SPECIAL REPORT: For Sokoto communities, promise of healthcare is akin to death sentence
In this story, ABDULRASHEED HAMMAD delves into the dire realities of Primary Health Care services in Sokoto State, shedding light...
ICYMI…SPECIAL REPORT: NNPCL hides behind PIA to frustrate disclosure, accountability
Nigeria’s major oil company, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), in what appears to be a common practice of disregard...
INVESTIGATION: Multi-million naira Ekiti resort center remains uncompleted a decade after
The multimillion-naira project, expected to comprise recreational buildings, now consists of cassava farmland, a bush used for excretion, and a...
SPECIAL REPORT: Torturous experiences of students with disabilities in Oyo tertiary institutions
For students with disabilities in Oyo state-owned tertiary institutions, learning is a torturous and distressing experience, considering the building structures...
seyi jelili
June 10, 2017 at 10:07 am
I agree to it. Northerners should be deprived of these oil blocs because that’s what they are relying on to enjoy if ibos should go.
georgeagboh
June 10, 2017 at 10:30 am
Absolutely correct a common visitor who acquired the blocks with the federal money. we want them to go back to the desert where they truly belong
yanju omotodun
June 10, 2017 at 12:08 pm
They are at the corridor of power so it’s virtually impossible to get rid or strip them off oil blocs in Nigeria.
Oise Oikelomen
June 10, 2017 at 9:14 pm
Now, that they are the ones calling for break up, are they going to own oil blocs in another man’s country??
JOHNSON PETER
June 10, 2017 at 1:37 pm
Divide Nigeria along ethnic groups and let’s have peace in Nigeria. Enough is enough of all these lack of understanding
Anita Kingsley
June 10, 2017 at 4:14 pm
A fight worth fighting should be fought until the last breath. If Nigerians are quiet about how sentimental Buhari’s administration is, it doesn’t mean we are foolish as well. The niger Delta militants have been cheated and manipulated by this and previous administrations. We need to address Biafra, niger/delta’s issues once and for all if we still want to remain one Nigeria
Animashaun Ayodeji
June 10, 2017 at 4:25 pm
I don’t think the northerners have any right to speak on the ongoing Biafra controversy for any reason. The northerners own less of all the resources in Nigeria and they are in control of the majority of these resources, if Nigeria should break up by any means, the northerners will suffer the most. Instead of them to keep their silly mouths shut and promote peace and unity, they are giving ultimatum, nonesense!
Abeni Adebisi
June 10, 2017 at 4:27 pm
We all need to take things easy, the tension and pressure Are becoming too much. If Nigeria is going to break, we have to break peacefully without any application of force.
Oise Oikelomen
June 10, 2017 at 9:21 pm
And so the madness continues. I’m so disappointed in the Northern Elders Forum. They have escalated this crisis to a disturbing level. Elders should sound the voice of reason when exuberant youth is threatening fire and brimstone. Not so with our northern brethren. Now that Niger Delta has joined the fray, I’m sure they now realize they are not the only ones who can issue threats and ultimatums. So so sad.