A militant group, Niger Delta Revolutionary Crusaders (NDRC), has warned that it would resist, with the last drop of its members’ blood, further oil exploration and exploitation in the Niger Delta, if the North executes its alleged agenda of sabotaging the acting President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo.
The group warned that if the North thwarts the demand for restructuring of the country and implementation of policies and laws to promote fiscal federalism, its members may be forced to return to their trenches.
In a statement by its spokesperson, WOI Izon-Ebi, the NDRC said: “For those with this sinister motive, because they feel President Muhammadu Buhari is debilitated, we advise them to keep the money to fund their junta government because NDRC will resist, with their last blood, the use of revenue from oil extracted from the Niger Delta to fund their greed and perfidy.”
Underscoring its readiness to stop the flow of oil from the region, the group said: “We call on all oil workers in the Niger Delta to vacate all oil facilities for their own safety. We also call on the operators of the Bonga Oil Field, Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Port Harcourt Refinery and Warri Refinery to stop all forms of operation because our strike and defence team will be coming to hoist our flag of freedom as a people in all our critical infrastructure and assets of the Niger Deltans.
“We reiterate, in strong terms, the need for the restructuring of the country and enthronement of fiscal federalism before October 1, 2017.
“For the avoidance of doubt, let it be known that the NDRC and other agitators are aware of the plan by a section of the country to carry out a coup to truncate the leadership of Acting President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo as Mr. President, Muhammadu Buhari, is currently in London for medical treatment. There will be no exploration or exploitation of oil in the Niger Delta, if a coup occurs before the October 1, 2017 date.
“NDRC and the amalgamation of all freedom fighters with the 21st century youth of the Niger Delta from the South-South region of the country stand in solidarity with the people of the South–East.
“We will no longer accept the born-to-rule mentality of an ethnic group, which exploits others for the benefit of a few, and reiterate that fiscal federalism with power devolved to the regions is the only panacea for peace in the country.
“The NDRC and the people of the Niger Delta can no longer tolerate vituperations of people like Ango Abdullahi and Junaid Mohammed, who are beating the drums of hatred and war.
“Our advice to the government and so-called owners of Nigeria is that there is no slave/master relationship in the Nigerian federation, and there is no recorded Nigerian history where Usman Dan Fodio conquered the people of the Niger Delta, and as such made the Niger Delta become inferior to the people of the caliphate.
“The NDRC states categorically that societies are built on justice and equity, and as such, come September 31, 2017, we will prove that this is the 21st century and that the renaissance of the Niger Delta has begun.
“If our fathers in their benevolence, love and sacrifice are seen as cowards, we, the Niger Delta youth of this 21st century are not cowards, and we can prove it,” the group warned.
The group called on all Ijaws and Niger Deltans scattered across Nigeria and West Africa “to immediately come back to their fatherland,” saying: “It has been made known openly by one Alhaji Usman Bagagi of the Northern Elders and Leaders Forum that the North owns the oil and the Niger Delta region because of their landmass and population.
“It is also known by all in Nigeria and the world that the northerners under the guise of Arewa youth had asked all Igbos living in the Northern part of the country to vacate the North in three months,” the group added, and advised the Federal Government to do the needful by taming all drummers of war and hate before it would be too late.