“We’ll Stop Attack on Oil Installations if…..” Niger Delta Avengers
The Niger Delta Avengers have announced a ceasefire and that they are ready for Peace talks with the Nigerian government.
In a posting on the terror group’s website dated Saturday, the spokesman Mudoch Agbinibo, the group said it was ready for talks, but added that the talks must include the acknowledged Ijaw National leader, Chief Edwin Clark.
The ceasefire appeared to have followed the appeals by Ijaw leaders who finally met to prevail on the militants to ward off the escalation of military action.
In the interim, attacks on oil and gas installations will stop.
“We are going to continue the observation of our unannounced cessation of hostilities in the Niger Delta against all interest of the Multinational oil Corporations.
“But we will continuously adopt our asymmetric warfare during this period if, the Nigerian government and the ruling political All Progressives Congress, APC, continues to use security agencies, formations and politicians to arrest, intimidate, invade and harass innocent citizens, suspected NDA members and invade especially Ijaw communities.”
This is the first time, since hostilities, that the Avengers will agree to a ceasefire.
The Avengers announced their emergence in May 2016 with the bombing of oil installations belonging to the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and other multinational corporations.
The main agenda of the group was to cripple the nation’s economy to force President Muhammadu Buhari to agree for the secession of Niger Delta people or for comprehensive restructure of the country.
According to their spokesman, Mr. Mudoch Agbinibo, the Avengers’ decision was in support of any collective negotiation involving their elder statesman , Chief Edwin Clark.
They support a negotiation with the government to be led by Clark and with representatives from the home countries of all multinational Oil Corporations and neutral international mediators.
The talks should 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).
“Others are the Kaiama Declaration document, The General Alexander Ogomudia report, The Leedum Mittee headed Niger Delta Technical Committee report and restructuring to fiscal federalism.”
The Avengers said that the struggle has always been a Pan-Niger Delta one, but that the anti-Niger Delta elements were using some disorganized characters from the region to “scuttle all effort to restore the essence of our humanity; resources control and self-determination”.
In the website posting, the avengers said: “We have resolved to reject any idea of the peace of our times; we want the peace with honor 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.”
A splinter group, Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA), emerged late in July asking the Avengers to stop destroying the region.
Here is the full statement issued by the terror group:
THE PAN-NIGER STRUGGLE
The struggle has always being a Pan-Niger Delta one, we only know the anti Niger Delta elements are using some disorganized characters from the region to scuttle all effort to restore the essence of our humanity; resources control and self-determination.
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 Leedum Mittee headed, Niger Delta Technical Committee report and restructuring to fiscal federalism.
We have resolved to reject any idea of the peace of our times; we want the peace with honor 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 are going to continue the observation of our unannounced cessation of hostilities in the Niger Delta against all interest 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 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 Oshiomhole 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.
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