Niger Delta Avengers bounce back, threaten total shutdown of Nigeria’s economy
Indications that the Niger Delta region may soon erupt in violence emerged yesterday following the return of the dreaded Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), who threatened to resume hostilities across the region with devastating attacks on some critical oil and gas assets, as well as notable politicians sabotaging the development of the area.
Issuing the treat in a statement titled: ‘Operation Humble’ posted on its website today, the group announced changes in its leadership command and also passed a vote of no confidence in the Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark led Pan Niger Delta Elders Forum (PANDEF) that midwifed the peace accord between it and the Federal Government in 2016.
The group which vowed to ensure that the nation’s economy slides into all time recession worse than what was experienced in 2016 during its onslaught on oil and gas installations, disclosed that already its men have been deplored to strategic locations in the region awaiting directive to strike.
While blaming its present decision to return to the trenches on the Federal Government’s failure to keep its own side of the ceasefire agreement reached in 2016, NDA noted that FG had not being fair in its dealings with the only region that had remained peaceful in sustaining the economy even when other regions have been meshed in all sorts of violent crimes and separatist agenda.
The statement read in part; “There is no gainsaying that the failed country called Nigeria which has fed fat on our God given wealth is at the brink of total disintegration owing to the security and related challenges across the country; ranging from terrorism and banditry in the North to the secessionist gongs of the Oduduwa people of the Southwest and IPOB of the Southeast, it is obvious that peace in the Niger Deltan and by extension the South South geopolitical region is the very thin piece still binding this country together.
“It is disheartening that despite being the economic backbone and having resolved to maintain the peaceful environment for the smooth operations of the oil multinationals whose proceeds the country cling unto for economic survival the Niger Delta and the South South remain the most under developed with our needs and interests undermined by the failed Nigerian State.
“We decided to suspend our famous, operation red economy‚ which bled the Nigerian economy into recession about four years ago not because we are lazy but for the love we have for our people and out of respect for the voice of the elders of the Niger Delta region who beckoned on us to give peace a chance and avail the government time to act on our demands at the time. In a move to remind this failed government that we have exhausted the very last iota of patience, the High Command of the Niger Delta Avengers have in a meeting held last night resolved as follows:
“We have lost total confidence on all socio-cultural groups like PANDEF, the elders of Niger Delta and the bunch of so-called ex-agitators frolicking with the Government at our detriment. This operation shall be coded ‘Operation Humble’, aimed at bringing down targeted oil installations in the Niger Delta region capable of humbling the economy into permanent recession. This mission is also targeted at political actors who are collaborating with the Nigerian government to undermine the interest of the Niger Delta people.
“There is no doubt that the Nigerian Government has continued to pay deaf ears to our demands and the rising challenges in the country because the pipelines that crisscrosses our lands her left untouched, allowing dollars to flow into the federal treasury on a daily basis for mismanagement.
“We shall spare no single oil installation within our range of strategic targets marked for destruction in the coming days and we bet the Nigerian Government will be humbled to return to the drawing board and chart an all-inclusive course by the time we are done with our action plan. Members of our strike teams across the Niger Delta are commanded to be on red alert awaiting precise strike plans as mapped by the high command of the NDA.
“The high command of the NDA has promoted and appointed one of our finest operatives, Field Commander Tu-ere aka Queen of the Creeks to the rank of Brigadier General. she is an experienced field agent who before now was the head of the counter intelligence unit of the NDA, using her connections with top Government and security officials to deliver on her assignment.
“She was part of the our elite Strike Teams that attacked and took down the Chevron Valve platform on the 4th of May, 2016; the Shell Forcados 48-inch Export line on the 3rd of June, 2016; and the Exxon Mobil Qua Iboe 48 Crude Oil Pipeline on the 11th of July, 2016. Brig. Gen. Tu-ere is the first female to ever attain this level and it is solely out of merit, and is placed in charge by the High Command of the NDA to execute operation humble to the later.
“As a gender friendly organization, we are using this avenue to encourage other female operatives within the rank and file of the NDA to be inspired by the rising profile of the Queen of the Creeks and never to deter in delivering on our mission of liberate our people and God given resources from the shackles of the oppressive Nigerian Government. We advise other female operatives to emulate her and be dedicated to our mission at all times.
“Conclusively, we wish to state unequivocally and in simple terms that we are back with operation Humble; with the aim of humbling the economy into permanent recession and political players from the Niger Delta extraction to political retirement.
“Our Strike Teams 01 – 09 and all other formations are to regroup and remain on red alert awaiting further command. There will be no going back until the Nigerian economy is humbled into recession never to rise again!” the statement concluded.
Courtesy (excluding headline) The Sun
