Niger Delta youths threaten shut down of oil supply to North over ‘food diversion’

*Demand arrest of Sheikh Gumi, Bala Mohammed, others for ‘supporting’ banditry

Following the rising insecurity and reported diversion of food supplies from Southern Nigeria by Northern merchants, a coalition of Niger Delta Agitators (CNDA), has issued a 30-day ultimatum for the reversal of such, threatening to cut all oil and gas supply to the North.

The coalition also resolved that for their various roles and utterances in recent events, the Buhari-led Federal government should immediately cause the arrest of Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi and Bauchi state Governor, Bala Mohammed.

Rising from a joint Emergency General Meeting of the Coalition comprising all the major militant groups in the Niger Delta, the militias said “for the avoidance of any doubt, no ethnic group or geo-political area in this country has the monopoly of violence”.

“We are aware that the northerners have begun the stoppage of movement of food items to the southern part of the country. We hereby give the northerners a 30-day ultimatum from today to withdraw that threat, otherwise we shall retaliate by cutting off all the oil pipelines supplying oil and gas to the entire northern Nigeria, and block all tankers and other vehicles from loading products to the north.

“Additionally, we shall make sure that oil licenses belonging to the northerners are forcefully revoked after the expiration of this ultimatum.”

In the communiqué signed by the coordinator of the Niger Delta Watchdog, General John Duku, and 12 others, the Coalition has also frowned at recent outbursts and suggestions by some prominent figures from the northern part of the country, calling on northerners to be well armed with guns to defend themselves.

On Sheikh Gumi and Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state, the coalition said the duo “seem to be the financiers of Banditry and Herdsmen criminality in the country.”

It also condemned all forms of negotiation with bandits, gun-carrying herdsmen, kidnappers and Boko Haram leaders who have been terrorizing innocent citizens across the country in recent times, declaring that such acts amount to nothing short of criminality.

“The Coalition considers it very erroneous to compare bandits, Boko Haram members and herdsmen who are not pursuing any just cause than to kill, maim and destroy lives and properties in the country, to Niger Delta militants who have over the years been subjected to suffering, discrimination and deprivation in their own land, while their resources are exploited and used for the development of other regions in the country.

“It is therefore out of place to seek amnesty for killers and abductors of innocent school children and citizens simply because some militants in the Niger Delta had been given some form of amnesty. And despite all the negotiations for the release of the kidnapped persons and payments of ransom, kidnappings seem to be on the increase”, the coalition lamented.

Arguing further, the coalition said “For Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Mahmud Gumi to accept in the first place to negotiate with “terrorists” who are enemies of the Nigerian state, and also recommend that government should grant the criminals amnesty for no just or reasonable cause, means that he is an integral part of the group.”

“It is quite appalling to learn that Sheikh Gumi was even very furious with journalists for reporting the nefarious activities of these bandits and even went on to brand journalists “criminals” for stressing on the criminality of the bandits.

“Interestingly, since the acclaimed leader of the bandits, Kachalla Halilu Subibu Seno has consistently addressed himself as the “leader of all terrorists”, which other names need to be given to a group of self-styled terrorists who have been involved in high-profile kidnappings, raping, killings and destruction of properties of innocent citizens across the nation, other than being regarded as criminals and enemies of the state?

“After carefully watching this “naked dance” displayed by the likes of Sheikh Gumi, Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, Bauchi ex-Governor Isa Yuguda, and some other northern elites, the Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators is compelled to believe that they are using the kidnappings of innocent citizens to make money.

“It is very clear that they are using the federal government which is led by a northerner to rape the country’s commonwealth which belongs to all citizens of the country.

“Sheikh Gumi’s latest actions and utterances already suggest and indict him first as the grand patron and major financier of Banditry in Nigeria.

“Second, recommending that the bandits who have no just and concrete demands for the government to meet, apart from receiving ransoms for kidnappings, means that this is a conduit pipe developed by the bandits to siphon the country’s treasury”, the coalition added.

(Source: THE INDEPENDENT)