Militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, has threatened to renew hostilities in the oil rich region, saying it will hit President Muhammadu Buhari very hard in 2017.
The group said the threat was necessary following government’s inaction towards the peace talk agreed with the region last year.
NDA had last year agreed to cease hostility following Federal Government’s decision to enter into negotiations with leaders of the region.
However, there has been no concrete negotiation between the government and leaders of the region.
NDA in a statement by its spokesperson, Mudoch Agbiniho, accused the Federal Government of rejecting genuine dialogue and negotiations.
In the statement, the secessionist
warned that it will resume hostilities since government has decided to politicise the negotiation process.
The statement quoted the group as saying, the year 2017 will be filled with surprises ” a reconfiguration of the struggle for the liberation of our motherland.”
The statement reads in part: “As we get prepared for the challenges ahead 2017, We make bold to tell the people of our Niger Delta, sane minds in Nigeria and the comity of nations that the remaining 11 months and couple of weeks in 2017 will be filled with surprises and a reconfiguration of the struggle for the liberation of our motherland.
“Since, the declaration of cessation of hostilities in the region by all fighters and affiliates, it has been evidently clear that the Nigerian state is not ready for any form of dialogue and negotiation with our people to addressing the issues sustaining the unending sufferings and deprivation of the people of the Niger Delta.
“The world is aware that, after listening to calls from our Royal Fathers, Community Leaders, Stakeholders and members of the comity of nations especially the governments of the United States of America, Great Britain and the European Union, we halted all actions.
“The world knows that PANDEF, as team of critical stakeholders, was mandated to engender a genuine dialogue and negotiations process that will be made up of apolitical Niger Deltans to engage with the government and people of Nigeria, representatives of the International Oil Corporations and neutral observers.
“But this government decided to go around to politicizing the process to forestall any genuine dialogue and negotiations.
“It is our belief that the 2017 national budget is not based on the crude oil production output from the Niger Delta, but on the newly found oil deposits in the North and the new pipelines constructed from the Niger Republic.
“That is the way to discuss with the deaf, when he cannot understand your soft massage. We are determined to hit him very hard and deadly that even his eyes will shed blood, his ear will be more deafened and his heart shall quake when he sees, hear and feel the outcome of our next activities.”
