The Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) which, claimed responsibility for blowing up the Forcados terminal pipeline in Delta state, recently, has served notice of attacks on more oil installations in the region until the FG addresses its grievances.
“Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Forcados terminal is our latest casualty. There are many more to follow in the days and weeks ahead,” the NDA stated.
According to a statement issued by the NDA in Warri, the group said that it was prepared to reduce Nigeria’s daily oil production and supply to zero barrel if its agitation was ignored. “The same factor that brought about the Niger Delta arms struggle is fast resurfacing as the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration is poised to exterminate Niger Delta people for being benevolent enough to allow the nation’s mono-economy thrive on our oil.”
“We are being oppressed, pushed to the wall on various fronts, which is why we have picked up the challenge to be the outlaws this government will have to contend with till daily production of oil is reduced to zero in the Niger Delta, so government can use the oil from the North to run Nigeria’s mono-economy.”
“We believe that Nigeria can practice true federalism where our resources will be controlled by us and used for our own good. The reverse is the case today, where the goose that lays the golden egg is killed along with the egg,” they said.
Meanwhile, the leader of the defunct Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Government Ekpemupolo, a.k.a. Tompolo, has washed his hands off the reported new threats to blow up oil installations in the Niger Delta.
THISDAY has reported that Tompolo, in a statement issued by his media aide has separated himself from the NDA’s threats. The statement, in part, reads thus:
“It has come to our notice that some mischief makers have made a publication in the name of Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, which is trending on the social media, that he has given few days to President Buhari to withdraw military personnel from the Niger Delta region, otherwise he is going to blow up oil pipelines.
“We wish to state categorically that the said publication is not from Tompolo, rather, it is the work of those who have sworn to kill him by all means; but Jehovah God forbids and will never allow them.
“Tompolo has stated before now that he will not resort to violence or destroy oil facilities because of the issue he is having with the EFCC. No amount of provocation and persecution can make him destroy the country that he has helped to build in recent time. He will discretionally continue to pursue his cause legally.
“It is his prayer for those pushing for his death to have a re-think as he believes fervently in Jehovah God Who sees the heart of every human being that he has no evil intention against Nigeria or any individual; therefore, he will come out stronger in the face of these temptations and trials.”