Militants retaliate, order Northerners out of Niger Delta

A coalition of Niger Delta militants, the Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators, have issued a statement ordering Northerners out of the Niger Delta region before October 1, 2017.

The statement was released yesterday, June 15, in retaliation for an eviction order issued by a coalition of northern youths on June 6, warning Igbo residents to leave the northern region or face consequences.

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The statement was released after a meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, on Wednesday.

"As a follow-up on our previous press release, a joint meeting between the Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators and youth leaders across the Niger Delta region held today (Thursday) in Port Harcourt to review the state of the Nigerian nation and the position of Niger Delta in the Nigerian state.

"After hours of deliberation; we hereby resolve as follows:

"All northerners living in the Niger Delta have been given three-month notice to quit the Niger Delta before October 1, 2017.

"We still stand by our previous decisions and we demand the immediate return of the oil blocs owned by northerners to Niger Delta people.

"All oil and gas companies operating in oil bloc(s)/well(s) illegally owned by northerners should also vacate such oil blocs/wells/platforms before October 1, 2017.

"We demand an immediate relocation of the NNPC headquarters to the Niger Delta and the replacement of the Group Managing Director of the NNPC with an indigene of the Niger Delta region.

"All offices/boards/agencies that have anything to do with oil and gas should be relocated immediately to the Niger Delta region and all non-Niger Delta directors/staff replaced with Niger Delta indigenes."

The coalition's statement runs counter to Acting President Yemi Osinbajo's call for calm at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Wednesday.

ALSO READ: Osinbajo urges South-East leaders not to retaliate

Osinbajo met with Southeast governors and other leaders from the region and urged them not to be tempted into making retaliatory hate speeches to fuel the matter.

"Violence and war are not going to do anyone any good. Wars today hardly ends. No one who has seen the face of wars even on Television who wish it for anyone.

“We should not tolerate hate speeches or divisive comments," he said.

The coalition's statement condemned the Federal Government's tame response to the threat, criticising the government's inability to have made any arrest since the statement was issued.

"We condemn in totality the meeting held by the Acting President with some northern elders and youths. We see it as a grand conspiracy.

"A responsible government should have arrested those traitors, but our government rather turned round to meet with them and pleaded for peace; does the Nigerian government see people from other zones as second-class citizens?

"Why are they more important to the Acting President, why is it that the Nigerian law is always weak when it involves the northerners? We are still watching the unfolding events with keen interest.

"We also use this opportunity to advise oil & gas companies in our territory to shut down further operations, PENGASSAN and NUPENG to warn/withdraw their members from Niger Delta before October 1, 2017 or risk their lives. Our next action will surprise you"

The statement was signed by groups represented by their leaders who include, Gen. John Duku (Niger Delta Watchdogs); Gen. Ekpo Ekpo (Niger Delta Volunteers); Gen. Osarolor Nedam (Niger Delta Warriors); Major-Gen. Henry Okon Etete (Niger Delta Peoples Fighters); Major-Gen. Asukwo Henshaw (Bakassi Freedom Fighters); Major-Gen. Ibinabo Horsfall (Niger Delta Movement for Justice); Major-Gen. Duke Emmanson (Niger Delta Fighters Network); Major-Gen. Inibeghe Adams (Niger Delta Freedom Mandate); and Major-Gen. Ibinabo Tariah (Niger Delta Development Network).