The militant Niger Delta group, the Niger Delta Avengers has accepted federal government’s call for truce and declared cessation of hostilities in the Niger Delta region.
Niger Delta Avengers, NDA also declared support for any negotiating team led by Chief Edwin Clark’s Niger Delta elders and stakeholders’ conference held last Friday.
In a statement by its spokesperson, Mudoch Agbinibo, NDA said it will cease all hostilities against the interests of oil companies but warned that it will engage in asymmetric warfare during the period should the Federal Government use security agencies to harass or intimidate its suspected members.
“We are going to continue the observation of our unannounced cessation of hostilities in the Niger Delta against all interests of the multinational oil corporations, but we will continuously adopt our asymmetric warfare during this period if the Nigerian government and the ruling political APC continues to use security agencies/agents, formations and politicians to arrest, intimidate, invade and harass innocent citizens, suspected NDA members and invade especially Ijaw communities”
“We are going to support any collective negotiation team emerging from the Chief (Dr.) Papa Edwin Kiagbodo Clark Niger Delta elders and genuine stakeholders conference to engage with the federal government of Nigeria, representatives from the home countries of all multinational Oil Corporations and neutral international mediators that will be focused on achieving the short, medium and long term frameworks and objectives to de-escalating conflicts in the Niger Delta.
“Most of the frameworks and objectives are clearly stated in various reports, declarations and recommendations of the likes of the Sir.Henry Willinks minority rights reports of pre-independence Nigeria (1957-8), The Kaiama Declaration document, The General Alexander Ogomudia report, The Ledum Mittee-headed Niger Delta Technical Committee report and restructuring to fiscal federalism”
“We want the peace with honour this time around! Our advice to our Niger Delta elders and genuine stakeholders is that whenever this inhuman project called Nigeria and her government is ready for dialogue/negotiations with them, this mandate should be treated with that care as driving a vehicle like that of a truck laden with fire”
“We promise to fight more for the Niger Delta, if this opportunity fails. Therefore, we will give our Niger Delta elders and genuine stakeholders that tacit support to the dialogue table with the government and the multinational oil corporations whenever the enabling environment prevails”
“We also use this medium to warn those using rogue platforms like the defunct so-called MEND, RNDA- Cynthia Whyte, especially Charles Okah who is franchising these internet-based banditry from his prison cell, through Victor Ebikabowei Ben (Boyloaf), Timipre Silva, Selekaye Ebikabowei, Ayirimi Emani, Michael Johnny, Governor Adams Oshiomole to please inform those their paymasters that the days of doom are here.
“That those sold and bought up interests from around the corridors of power cannot arm-twist the NDA with bandits, drug addicts, illegal bunkerers, bank robbers and disorganized characters to derail the Niger Delta struggle”
