A coalition of nine renegade militant groups in the Niger-Delta region has declared support for the raging EndSARS protests across the country, saying they were ready to resume hostilities, attack oil and gas facilities if Federal Government did not meet the demands of protesting Nigerian youths.
The militant groups under the aegis of the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers, RNDA, which held an emergency meeting in Delta state, also announced their preparedness to disavow the ceasefire accord with the Federal Government and engage military forces.
They said in a communique by RNDA leader, self-styled “Major-General” Johnmark Ezonebi, aka Obama: “We will engage the troops attached to the proposed Operation Crocodile Smile and resume attacks on some identified oil facilities in the region if issues of poor welfare, armed oppression and inequality in the standard of living between the citizens and political elites are not addressed.” “RNDA leadership has directed its striking force unit commanders in all the nine militant groups to be on standby and maintain visibility on identified locations with study and locations striking methods, VSLSM. ”We may resume heavy destruction of major crude oil pipelines and their platforms, including the major gas distribution pipelines from Escravos-Warri-Kaduna.
“Also targeted are major target pipelines, including the Chevron Valve platform located at Abiteye, Warri-South local government area, Delta state and this is one of Chevron’s most significant platform and it serves as a connecting point where all other Chevron’s Niger Delta platforms link up; and Shell underwater Forcardos 48-inch export pipeline which connects from Clough Creek through River Ramos Creek delivery line to the Forcardos Terminal, a major and one of the Nigeria highest crude delivery pipeline will be brought down as well as the major Escravos trans Lagos pipeline linking Warri to Lagos.”
“Even members of RNDA made sacrifices to agree to a ceasefire in 2016 in order to allow President Buhari-led APC federal government to consolidate on its renewed policy thrust for his anti-corruption fight and economic growth, job creation and transforming policies of massive infrastructural developmental strides within the Niger Delta region and the country at large. “But the National Assembly members and the political class are pushing the people to the wall and we are ready to fight back,” Ezonebi added.
(Vanguard)