Resurgent
militia group, the Niger Delta Avengers have declared “enough is enough” to
what it called history of terror, oppression, injustice, poverty in the
oil-rich Niger Delta region by successive government in Nigeria.
The
group declared on Thursday that before Nigeria will go the Sudan way, the international
community should come to the aid of the region to achieve its quest for peaceful
self-determination and control of oil resources derivable from the region.
Specifically,
NDA called on Britain, France, and United State of America, Russia, China and
European Union to speak up against the “terror” meted out on the Niger Delta
region by the successive government in Nigeria.
In a
statement by its spokesman, ‘Brig-Gen’ Mudoch Aginibo, NDA vowed to resist with
any means necessary the years-long “injustice and underdevelopment in the Niger
Delta, declaring that they have nothing to lose in the “battles ahead”.
It
recalled that since the day crude oil was discovered in commercial quantity and
quality in Oloibiri in the present day Bayelsa state; “what we have being
asking from successive governments in Nigeria is portable drinking water in the
midst of plenty of water mass, electricity, roads, employment, quality
education/educational facilities, resource control, participation in the oil
business and inclusive governance that will engender substantial freedom”.
The
Avengers which have wreck some much havoc to oil installations in the country
in recent times, held that what the region has gotten all the years has been; “terror
of poverty, inhumanity and desolate living conditions”.
According
to them, successive government in Nigeria had used resources from the region
since the days of Oloibiri to develop mountains, rock, valleys, deserts and
lagoon outside the region but have continue to “alienate the Niger Delta region
from all types of development and all essence of quality human life”.
The
group mentioned oil facilities in the region of which the Nigeria state have
allegedly ripped off the region to includes; “Oloibiri, Brass LNLG and Export Terminals
in Bayelsa; Bonny LNLG and Export Terminals in River state; ExxonMobil in Akwa
Ibom; Escravos EGTL/ Tank Farm and Export Terminals; Forcados Tank Farm and Export
Terminals in Delta state operated respectively by Anglo-Dutch Shell,
Chevron/Texaco Overseas, Agip ENI, ExxonMobil”.
They
said that those who operate these facilities in the region live like “Kings and
Presidents” whereas the region which produce Nigeria main economy stay is
stripped of any tangible infrastructure.
The
group therefore vowed to correct what it called “history of terror” by successive
governments in Nigeria which it declared “worships the crude oil taken from the
region”.
They
maintained that instead of doing the needful the government had decided to “mobilise
her military might to intimidate, torture, maim, victimise and bombard a
section of the nation state and her citizenry to allow the free flow of our
oil.
“For over five decades, we have
given the multinational oil corporations and their collaborators, the Nigerian
State, peace, cooperation and love for the crude oil to flow unhindered from
our land.
“The
continuous tranquility is only manifesting in the development of mountains,
rock, valleys, deserts and lagoon but the Niger Delta territory continually
alienated from all types of development and all essence of quality human life.
“Meanwhile
all successive governments worships the crude oil taken from the region. Our
communities and the people are only good at securing the pipelines, oil and gas
facilities. What a tragedy?
“We
are calling on the international community especially Britain, France, the United
State of America, Russia, China and European Union to speak up against this
ongoing terror and come to the aid of the Niger Delta, as witnesses to this
grave inhumanity and history of terror perpetuated against the people of the
Niger Delta daily.
‘This
history of terror, we the Niger Delta Avengers will resist and correct with
every means necessary.
“We
have nothing to lose in the battles ahead; justice they say is only found
within the structure of a nation state, rather than provide this justice the
Nigerian government has decided to mobilise her military might to intimidate,
torture, maim, victimise and bombard a section of the nation state and her
citizenry to allow the free flow of our oil.
“They
says the progress and success of a nation state is the reflection of her
constitution that is not manufactured to favour some section and excludes the
yearning and aspirations of others; but the indwelling spiritual and historical
development of its people.
“Since
the amalgamation of Nigeria in 1914 to date, our resources have been used to
sustain the political administrative live wire of Nigeria to the exclusion of
the Niger delta.
“Finally,
we are calling on the international community, to come and support the
restoration of our right to peaceful self-determination from this tragedy of
1914 that has expired since 2014.
“We
want our resources back to restore the essence of human life in our region for
generations to come because Nigeria has failed to do that. The world should not
wait until we go the Sudan ways. Enough is enough”.
