Another N’Delta Militant Group Announces Resumption of Hostilities

Niger Delta militant group, MEND.
Photo courtesy.

The Niger Delta Revolutionary Crusaders, NDRC, a militant group in the Niger Delta, yesterday, joined the Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, in declaring its plan to resume fresh hostilities in the Niger Delta, following the Federal Government’s alleged decision not to dialogue with the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF. 

This came as deputy governor of Delta State and Chairman, Delta State Advocacy Committee Against Oil Facility Vandalism, DSACAOFV, Deacon Kingsley Otuaro, said dialogue option towards resolving the Niger Delta crisis was still open, urging militants to abort the plan to recommence bombing of oil installations. 

But NDRC in a statement by its spokesperson, WOI Izon-Ebi, said: “After a keen observation of our ceasefire, declared on    the 17th  day of November,    2016, the Niger Delta Revolutionary Crusaders want to resume attacks with a warning to the Nigerian government and the oil multinationals to be ready for the consequences of their oppressive and devilish politicization of the Niger Delta agitation and failure    to utilize      the precious intervention of our distinguished royal fathers and elders of  PANDEF.” 

Alleging that the Federal Government had turned the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, to All Progressives Party, APC, secretariat, it warned that the Commission “will be the first casualty of the renewed hostilities in the region because what we have discovered is so outrageous and shameful.” 

The group claimed its findings showed that N80 billion which was supposed to be used in developing the Niger Delta was used to prosecute the election of a former South-South governor, while N40 billion was also withdrawn from the NDDC coffers to prosecute the last re-run election in Rivers State. 

According to the statement: “We want to sound it loud again to the Federal Government that we are fully in support of the Niger Delta Avengers’ Operation Wall of Jericho and Hurricane Joshua to knock all oil operations down in the country because  enough-is-enough, our next line of action is not to warn the federal government again, because we have the capacity as the gods are with us. We are freedom fighters that respect our elders, leaders, and royal fathers. 

But we take our directives from the gods of the Niger Delta. Any planned humiliation of our elders, leaders, and royal fathers could give room to the gods to pour their blessing to all genuine agitators and freedom fighters to defend their motherland from external aggression that is being spearheaded by the Fulani caliphate of systematic cleansing and grabbing of territories.