A new militant group, the Niger Delta Sea Commandos on Sunday, June 26, 2016 called on President Muhammadu Buhari to discontinue his “pretentious plea” to Niger Delta militants to cease bombing oil and gas facilities and commence dialogue with stakeholders to avert looming disaster.
In a statement signed by spokesperson of the group, Major Osama Blatter, the group dismissed Buhari’s remarks and called on him to begin proper dialogue with the region. “As members of Niger Delta Sea Commandos, we cannot take Buhari’s plea serious and we are running out of patience. The issue is when he will start his dialogue,” the statement said.
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“When will Nigeria grant Niger Delta autonomous state? Buhari should not play politics with Niger Delta’s demands. If he plays with us, we will ground his government. Delay is dangerous. We are not interested in any plea.
“Who told Buhari that Nigerians do not have other country than Nigeria? Niger Deltans are not part of Nigeria he is referring to because we belong to Niger Delta Republic.
“Buhari should lead the negotiation team, we want him in the creeks, Buhari should not expect our oil to stabilize Nigerians economy, that is a thing of the past.
“Since he came back, we have not heard anything from him about the expired two-week ceasefire, he has not announced any extension, which is why we say that he is pretending. We are warning that we can no longer wait, we will commence attack any moment from now,” the Niger Delta Sea Commandos said.
‘In the name of God Almighty’: Buhari Begs Niger Delta Avengers
Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has appealed to the leadership of his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, to help him beg the Niger Delta Avengers and other militant groups in the oil-rich region of southern Nigeria to stop their attacks on oil installations.
Buhari stated this on Friday, June 24, 2016 at the breaking of fast dinner with the APC leadership at the presidential villa in Abuja, where he pleaded in the “name of God Almighty’ for the bombing of oil pipelines and installations to stop.
The tough talking former military ruler quickly declared war on South South militants and ordered air strikes in the region in June 2015 when they were not an organised group but splinters of oil pipeline vandals.
In April 2016, Buhari, in China, promised to ‘crush Niger Delta militants like Boko Haram‘. He repeated the same threat in his Democracy Day broadcast of May 29, 2016. Well, it seems Buhari come to his knees already, as it were.
While lamenting the effect of the attacks on oil facilities, President Buhari said the country does not need “such a distraction” at this point in time.
Buhari marvelled at the sophistication of the militants and how they were able to mount attacks on international waters. He also admitted that Niger Delta militants are difficult to relate with because they operate in several groups unlike the Boko Haram sect which has one faction.
“I honestly don’t know how many factions the militants are in the Niger Delta compared to the north-east where you have the Boko Haram,” Buhari said.
“The technology being deployed by the militants to destroy oil installations is high-tech, the way they can go on high sea and international waters and target oil installations is a national problem. It is affecting development.
“No insurance company will want to insure installations that will end up being blown up and no banks will want to finance such installations.
“Those of you who have friends among the leadership or even the militants themselves should plead with them in the name of God Almighty to take it easy.
“We are in a very difficult time, so we have to organise ourselves. Anybody that says he has any other country than Nigeria should go out and see,” he admonished.
The prominent militant group in the Niger Delta, the Avengers began its campaign against oil production in Nigeria sometime in October 2015. The group says it aims to bring Nigeria’s oil production to zero with a view of forcing a free Niger Delta Republic.
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The Niger Delta Avengers has mounted attacks against oil pipelines and installations in the troubled region, marking a renewed restiveness in the region. Several other militants groups have also sprung up in the Niger Delta.
