A Niger Delta militant group has declared that all South Westerners in the area should vacate its soil on or before August 1.
The militant group under the aegis of Adaka Boro Avengers (ABA) said it has rallied the support of other militant groups in the region towards declaring Niger Delta a republic on August 1.
The militant group also issued an ultimatum to the Federal Government to withdraw its personnel from the Niger Delta region before the set date.
The militant group in a statement signed by its spokesperson, General Edmos Ayayeibo urged the Federal Government to judiciously make use of the three weeks notice to withdraw all government agencies, threatening that failure will lead to destruction of military barracks and personnel.
“We, the Adaka Boro Avengers and all the freedom fighters in the Niger Delta region have met and come to a conclusion that we are declaring the Niger Delta a Republic three weeks from today July 18, 2016.
“So we are by this notice calling on the Nigerian government to move out all military personnel and all government agencies out of the Niger Delta. Failure will lead to destruction of military barracks and personnel.
“We are also by this notice calling on our fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters living in the northern parts of Nigeria to return home immediately.
“We are also warning northerners and westerners to leave the Niger Delta region immediately within three weeks from now, for their own good.
“If they refuse to heed to our warning, we will use so many as example in the Niger Delta region on the due date.
“We are telling the Nigerian government that enough is enough and we are taking our independence by force. We have our foreign backers, so we are not afraid of the Nigerian government but ready for total war.
“The inhuman treatment given to us by Nigerian government is enough. We can no longer withstand the suffering of our Niger Delta people. They should not take us for fools”.