NIGER DELTA: Militants coalition throw weight behind Avengers’ plan to stage ‘bloody’ attacks

The threat by the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) to resume bloody and merciless attacks on oil facilities in the oil region has received the backing of a Coalition of Niger Delta Militants.

NDA had on Friday announced an end to its ceasefire on oil installations on the allegation that the Federal Government failed to fulfil its promise which warranted the ceasefire.

The group had last year stopped attacks on pipelines to allow the Federal Government dialogue with Chief Edwin Clark’s led Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) on the development of the region.

Supporting the decision of NDA to resume attacks on oil installations, the coalition of militant groups in a statement by its leader, John Duku, on Saturday, accused the Federal Government of not having the interest of the Niger Delta at heart.

The group frowned at how the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government decided to use the resources he would have employed to develop the region to finance Operation Crocodile Smile at a time there was peace in the oil region.

“All the militants groups in the Niger Delta met today (Saturday ) and we have issued a directive that we should go back to our different states , to do everything possible to cripple all the (oil ) installations .

“We are going to resume attacks and this time around, it is not going to be business as usual. We have already agreed that when we move in, it will be ‘Operation No Mercy’. Anything we find on our way , there would be no option but to crush it.

“It is not only the installations; we are also going to shut down the offices of each of the oil companies. It is high time the Niger Delta people worked together and declared a Niger Delta Republic. We will be on our own and manage our resources.

“We had already embraced peace. We had already announced ceasefire before the Operation Crocodile Smile came. The exercise (Operation Crocodile Smile ) was done in collaboration with top oil firm directors.

“The Operation Crocodile Smile was unnecessary because, there was no crisis in the Niger Delta. But because we insisted the oil companies should relocate their headquarters to Niger Delta before October, the oil companies connived with the cabal in government and they brought the Nigerian Army to the Niger Delta to intimidate us.

READ ALSO : Anarchy looms in N’Delta as Avengers return, vow brutal, bloody attacks

“The directive on the relocation of oil companies’ headquarters came from the Vice – President, but they (oil companies ) refused to relocate. Government should have used the money spent on Operation Crocodile Smile for the development of Niger Delta,” the statement read.

Commending NDA for their declaration, which the militants said was a bold step to liberate the people, they added that it was no room for patience any longer since the Federal Government denied to implement the 16-point agenda for the development of the Niger Delta.

 

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