The Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators has cancelled the ceasefire it declared several years ago, and declared what it called “Operation Hunger Lion” over the present economic challenges Nigerians, especially the people of the Niger Delta, are facing, IgbereTV has learned.
The Coalition announced their decision in a statement issued on Saturday after their emergency meeting where they reviewed the State of the Nation, especially as it affects Nigerians, Niger Delta people and the present economic challenges in the country.
In the statement obtained by SaharaReporters, the coalition said it also demanded that the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, and his team be probed and made to account for the missing N164 billion, and hereafter sacked.
The coalition said, “We have observed that the present corruption in the country has reached its peak especially in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, NNPCL, Power Sector, Education and Steel.
“While we waited and hoped for a change in attitude from the people saddled with the responsibilities in the aforementioned ministry and agencies, it is now obvious that they are not willing to change or toe the path of honour and be accountable.
“The Coalition unanimously resolved as follows: We hereby want to state that NNPCL being the current importer of petroleum products in the country has failed woefully, with a high level of corruption and fraud despite selling fuel for over N700 per litre, the citizens are subjected to constant torture and suffering before they can buy fuel.
“A kilogramme of cooking gas is over N1500 now and even kerosene is no longer affordable by the citizens anymore.
“Mr Mele Kyari and his team should account for the missing N164billion from the coffers of the NNPCL with immediate effect.
“This can only happen when incompetent and wicked people are saddled with responsibilities over the people.
“We want to state here that before the appointment of Mr Mele Kyari as the GMD of NNPC, the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries were still functional and production was at sixty (60%) percent.
“However, as soon as Mele Kyari took over as GMD of NNPC, all the refineries were automatically shut down for reasons best known to him as his cohorts despite the billions of naira budgeted by the Federal Government every year to revamp and resuscitate these refineries, yet none is working.
“Mr. Mele Kyari should explain the ownership of the Refinery in Malta where his cronies normally export our crude, refine and import it again to us at higher cost; the reason why they keep sabotaging every effort to make Nigeria’s refinery productive.”
The statement further noted “It is with deep sense of responsibility that we state here that NDDC and the Ministry of Niger Delta Development and Presidential Amnesty Programme is a scam, conduit pipe and not useful to the people of the Niger Delta.
“The Ministry of Niger Delta has not executed any life-touching project or intervention in the region while NDDC at the other hand is being used as a conduit pipe by politicians at the detriment of the Niger Delta people.
“It is pertinent to note that the road projects constructed by NDDC in the Niger Delta region are substandard and do not usually last up to three years.
“The government should release funds owed to the NDDC and Ministry of Niger Delta to fast track development in the Niger Delta region while we call on the government to probe the past Board of NDDC and former Ministers in the Ministry of Niger Delta over failure and fraud.”
“We demand immediate sack of Mr. Mele Kyari, top Management of NNPCL and subsidiaries. While we call on the government to prosecute these individuals over fraud and embezzlement.
“We demand a probe of Mele Kyari and his team over the missing billions of naira as alleged by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation.
“We also call on the sack of the Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources – Oil and the Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Petroleum – Gas over incompetence and corruption; this is because they have failed Nigerians at this critical time.”
Henshaw, for Bakassi Freedom Fighters; Major-Gen. Ibinabo Horsfall, for the Niger Delta Movement for Justice; Major-Gen. Duke Emmanson, for Niger Delta Fighters Network; Major-Gen. Inibeghe Adams, for Niger Delta Freedom Mandate and Major-Gen. Abiye Tariah, for Niger Delta Development Network.
Others are Major-Gen. Joshua Ebere, for the Renewed Movement for Emancipation of the Niger Delta; Major-Gen. Jeremiah Anthony, for Movement for Actualisation of Niger Delta Republic; Major Francis Okoroafor, for Niger Delta Freedom Redemption Army and Colonel Nelson Okochi Walter, for Niger Delta Liberty Organisation.
