Militant groups under the aegis
of Niger Delta Agitators have withdrawn the quit notice issued to the Yoruba
and Northern indigenes resident in the region.
The agitators also declared their
support for the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), whose leadership they had
previously disowned, to lead the Niger Delta region in the ongoing negotiations
with the federal government.
They also announced the
suspension of the planned attacks on oil and gas installations in the region
and set aside their intention to declare the Republic of Niger Delta on October
1.
In a statement issued by the
agitators Thursday, the coalition led by ‘General’ John Duku said that the
withdrawal of the quit notice, among other threats, was a sequel to the
intervention of PANDEF and Nigeria Ethnic Nationality Youth Leaders Forum (NENYLF),
led by its acting National Chairman, Mr. Imoh Okoko.
The statement said: “After a
series of meetings yesterday (Wednesday) between the high command of the
Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators led by General John Duku and the leadership
of the Nigeria Ethnic Nationality Youth Leaders Forum (NENYLF) led by the
Acting National Chairman, Comrade Imoh Okoko, coupled with the intervention of
Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), the Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators, which
comprises over 250 groups with their leaders and representatives present at
yesterday’s meeting, officially withdraw our quit notice issued to the
Northerners and Yorubas living in Niger Delta region; call off planned
resumption of attacks on oil and gas installations across the Niger Delta region
and beyond from September 10, 2017; suspend the October 1, 2017 declaration of
the Niger Delta Republic; declare support for the Pan Niger Delta Forum.
“We have also resolved to work
with PANDEF and give it our maximum support and we urge the federal government
to continue dialogue and implement the 16-point demand presented by PANDEF on
behalf of the Niger Delta region.
“This comes after extensive consultations across the Niger Delta region, which
we discovered that it is only PANDEF that has been working round the clock to
resolve the Niger Delta issues and has people of proven integrity.
“It is a clear fact that working
with any rival group such as the Pan Niger Delta Congress (PNDC) is not in the
interest of the Niger Delta.
“The meeting also resolved that
the oil and gas companies should relocate their headquarters to Niger Delta
region. We also resolved to put on hold the issue of the return of oil blocks
owned by Northerners and the Yoruba to the Niger Delta people and demand that
the NNPC should revisit their recent appointments, and urge the federal
government to replace the GMD of NNPC with an indigene of the Niger Delta in
the interest of peace, equity, fairness and justice.
“We also thank the Nigeria Ethnic
Nationality Youth Leaders Forum and the Pan Niger Delta Forum for the major
roles they played during the series of meetings which resulted in our
withdrawal of the quit notice and we therefore agree that from now on the
Nigeria Ethnic Nationality Youth Leaders Forum should be our representatives,
mediators and contact point.
“We mandate them to liaise with
the oil, gas, marine and service companies operating in Niger Delta region. We
also use this medium to declare total support for the current board of the
Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and we warn all groups calling for
the removal of the MD, Mr. Nsima Ekere, to desist from it as such a plan is
evil and detrimental to the development of the Niger Delta region.
“We therefore appeal to the
federal government to release funds owed the NDDC for the development and
sustenance of peace in the Niger Delta region. The NDDC has a major role to
play in sustaining peace in the Niger Delta region.
“Finally, we call on all our partners, groups within and outside the Niger
Delta region, as well as all the agitating groups in the Niger Delta region to
support PANDEF and give them all the needed support to enable them continue to
dialogue with the federal government, in order to move the Niger Delta forward.
“Meanwhile, we wish to appeal to
the Pan Niger Delta Congress to work with PANDEF for the interest of the Niger
Delta region, and we want to assure all the indigenes of Niger Delta and the
general public that while we await the outcome of the dialogue between PANDEF
and the Nigerian government, we shall not fail to respond to any issue that may
threaten the collective well-being of the Niger Delta people.”
Those who signed the statement
were General John Duku (Niger Delta Watchdogs and Convener, Coalition of Niger
Delta Agitators); General Ekpo Ekpo (Niger Delta Volunteers); General Osarolor
Nedam (Niger Delta Warriors); Major-Gen. Henry Okon Etete (Niger Delta Peoples
Fighters); Major-Gen. Asukwo Henshaw (Bakassi Freedom Fighters); and Major-Gen.
Ibinabo Horsfall (Niger Delta Movement for Justice).
Others included Major-Gen. Duke
Emmanson (Niger Delta Fighters Network); Major-Gen. Inibeghe Adams (Niger Delta
Freedom Mandate); Major-Gen. Abiye Tariah (Niger Delta Development Network);
Major-Gen. Joshua Ebere (Renewed Movement for Emancipation of Niger Delta);
Major-Gen. Jeremiah Athony (Movement for Actualisation of Niger Delta
Republic); Major Francis Okoroafor (Niger Delta Freedom Redemption Army); and
Colonel Nelson Okochi Walter, among other representatives of groups across the
Niger Delta.
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