There’ll never be Niger Delta Republic, ex-militants tell Avengers

From Odogwu Media Communication

A group of former mili­tants declared yesterday there will never be a Niger Delta Republic as proposed by the Niger Delta Aveng­ers (NDA).

The ex-militants also urged the NDA to stop hiding and come out publicly with its identity.

The NDA, in a statement by its spokesman, Col. Murdoch Agbinibo, had declared that the group would, on October 16, launch its flag, currency, ruling council and territory of control, distinct from Ni­geria,

However, the group of for­mer militants, under the aegis of the defunct Niger Delta Liberation Force (NDLF) warned that it would fight any attempt to plunge the region into crisis by the action of the NDA.

NDLF, in a statement by its spokesman, Captain Mark Anthony, described the ac­tion of the NDA as “selfish and wicked” because its sponsors no longer have ac­cess to juicy contracts from the Federal Government.

It urged the Nigerian mili­tary to go after the NDA and bring them to book before they trigger crisis in the Niger Delta region.

“We want to distance our­selves from the proposed declaration of Niger Delta Republic and flag off of Ni­ger Delta currency by Ni­ger Delta Avengers.. NDLF is not aware of such plan and will not support such calls to secede from Nige­ria. Our son, former presi­dent Goodluck Jonathan just left office and you en­joyed juicy contracts from his administration. Today, you want all of us to fight President Muhammadu Buhari because it is no lon­ger business as usual. You want to declare Niger Del­ta Republic. You and your ragtag army cannot fool us every day in Niger Delta. We repeat, if you are real combatant generals, stop hiding your identity. Come up with your identity and face the Nigerian Army like the late NDLF leader, John Togo. NDLF is not part of your proposed Niger Delta Republic. We will support Niger Delta Republic when the right time comes. We urge the army to go after them as common crimi­nals.”

Meanwhile, a non-gov­ernmental organisation, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), has warned oil companies in Niger Delta against gas flaring.

The foundation gave the warning during a Break Free 2016 Environmental Campaign at Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom yesterday.

The group’s Co-ordinator, Mr. Nnimo Bassey, said oil companies cannot con­tinue to burn fossil fuel as their extraction of oil is causing global warming.

“We can break free from fossil fuel, we cannot keep on burning fossil fuel and these companies knew many years ago that their extraction of oil is causing global warming,’’ Bassey said