‘We existed before Nigeria so we can’t leave,’ Niger Delta activist tells President

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November 7, 2016 4:09 PM

Niger Delta Activist, Annkio Briggs also described President Muhammadu Buhari’s comments as sad, offensive and unnecessary.

President Muhammadu Buhari

Niger Delta Activist, Annkio Briggs has criticized President Muhammadu Buhari for saying that any Nigerian who has another country to go to

Briggs also described Buhari’s comments as sad, offensive and unnecessary.

“It is a pity, sad and offensive for Mr. President to make such statement as at no point during the meeting did the group raise such issue of anyone leaving Nigeria,” she said according to Vanguard.

“The comment shows very clear the level of insensitivity and mindset of the government towards the people of the Niger Delta. The government should know that we had Ijaw land just as other ethnicities like Itsekiri, Urhobo and others have their lands before the existence of the Nigeria state.

“When the Lamido Adamawa, Alhaji Muhammadu Barkindo Mustapha told his fellow delegates during the 2014 National Conference under President Goodluck Jonathan that him and his people are prepared to secede from Nigeria to Cameroon if the country disintegrates, President Jonathan did not make counter remarks against them.

“So how can anyone tell us to leave? We existed before Nigeria hence they should know that I have Ijaw land to go to if I choose to,” she added.

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Buhari made the comment on Tuesday, November 1, while addressing Niger Delta stakeholders at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

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