[dropcap]D[/dropcap]ear President Trump,
We send you greetings from the Creeks, Swamps, Mangroves, and Rivers of the Niger Delta Region, on the platform of the Niger Delta Self- Determination Movement, NDSDM.
The first time we wrote an open letter to sir was after you won the elections in 2016 We wrote to congratulate and the Republican Party for winning the election of 2016.
We took that opportunity to bring to your attention the plight of the Niger Delta people, and the concerns, in-fact fear that we had at the emergence of President a retired General of the Nigerian Army.
Between your inauguration in 2017 and April 30, 2018, a lot of undemocratic events have occurred in Nigeria.
We will try not to take you through historical education of Nigeria as you no doubt have all you need to know about Nigeria a 104-years-old country created by Lord Lugard on (January 22, 1858- April 11, 1945) who amalgamated the Northern and Southern Protectorate who had nothing in common by culture, religion or language.
Please allow us to mention a few anti-human rights and undemocratic acts, and crimes against humanity that has taken place in Nigeria, particularly in the Middle Belt states which are majorly Christian states, and known as the food basket of Nigeria.
Thousands of Christians, men, women, youths, children and old people, are victims of the Fulani herdsmen, that President Buhari, the Federal Government, the Military have unbelievably identified as non-Nigeria Fulani herdsmen who they claim were trained and armed by the late and former President of Libya, Gaddafi.
The worst of the pogrom and genocide has taken place in Taraba, Benue, Adamawa, Kaduna and Plateau States. The victims of the slaughter are 95 percent Christians.
Christians of the South of Nigeria and specifically of the oil and gas-rich Niger Delta region that is undeveloped, neglected and oppressed we are very concerned for our survival today and the future of our children tomorrow.
In 2017 on the day of your inauguration youths of IPOB, a nonviolent organization of the people of Igbo nation also referred to as Ndigbo and of the South East political zone of Nigeria whose leader is Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who has not been seen or heard of since October 2017 when the Nigeria Military invaded his home and community. His parents have also not been seen.
This group went on a celebration and a congratulatory procession on the day of your inauguration, they were not armed yet a number of them were shot and killed in broad daylight and cold blood and a lot more arrested and still been held.
The Nigeria army occupied the South Eastern states, the states of the Igbo nationality. During the occupation of the South Eastern states in an operation the military called ‘Operations Python Dance’ the military have been accused of torture and extrajudicial killings.
The Fulani herdsmen who are of the same Ethnic group and religion as the President get away with indiscriminate attacks and horrific killings against Christians.
In this year 2018 from January 1, 2018, to April 20, 2018, over 2000 Christians across the Middle Belt particularly in Benue and Taraba States.
Mr. President Nigeria is a secular Country, Nigeria is not an Islamic Nation, if a credible census is undertaken in Nigeria it is more likely than not that Christians are more than Muslims yet at no time in the history of Nigeria’s 104 years have Christians persecuted Muslims like the extreme movement of Muslims/Islam have persecuted Christians.
If Christians will not be left to live at peace to practice our faith freely in our Country Nigeria then we desire a referendum to be conducted amongst the Ethnic Nationalities across Nigeria especially in the Christian South and Middle Belt to determine if we want to stay in Nigeria that persecute us for our religion and faith or separate from Nigeria.
In the past 4 weeks, Christians in the majorly Christian states of the North East Christians are leaving their communities abandoning their ancestral homeland in droves, Christians are daily becoming refugees in their own God-given land.
Thousands of Churches have been burnt and destroyed in the past 3 years. Pastors and Priests male and female are killed and beheaded.
There is a lot bitterness and discontent from the Middle Belt to the South of Nigeria, there is a great sense of disappointment and lack of confidence in the Federal Government as lead by President Buhari.
In the Niger Delta the region that owns the oil and gas resources exploited by the International Oil Companies, and the Federal Government, the Ethnic Nationalities of the Niger Delta region are occupied by the military and the special force set up especially for the Niger Delta region because of our oil and gas resources.
Despite the United Nations Report on the devastating and unacceptable levels of poisonous pollution in our drinking water, air, fish and farm our people especially our youths are oppressed, occupied by the Military and kept for years in jails without trial.
A few weeks ago Retd. Gen. T Y Danjuma a former Army Staff and Defense Minister a respected military insider, a Christian of Taraba State of the North East accused the Nigeria military of turning the other way (purposefully turning a blind eye) while the killings of Christians by the fourth deadliest terror organization in the world according to Global Terrorism Index kill, and terrorize the people who are mainly Christians.
These accusations against the Nigeria Government and the Nigeria Military should be investigated by the neutral UN as what is going on in Nigeria is genocide, pogrom, ethnic and religious cleansing.
Nigeria between 1967 and 1970 have fought a civil war that claimed more than 2 million lives of mainly the people of the Igbo Ethnic Nationality, including other Ethnic Nationalities of the Eastern Region of Nigeria.
The massacre of Christians in Nigeria is spreading and we are worried that they aim to attack the three regions of Southern Nigeria (17 states).
This ongoing threat against Christians especially the oil and gas-rich Niger Delta region has the potential of breaking into a full-scale war.
This will be horrendous and uncontrollable not only for Nigeria but for West Africa, the Gulf of Guinea, and the entire African continent affecting the economy and all other security interests the world especially the USA and Europe has in Africa.
This will be the biggest disaster after the 2nd World War.
Nigeria is a complex country and the complexity is very volatile.
The threat to democracy and the suspicion we have in the Oil and Gas producing region is that the 2019 elections will not be free and fair.
This is another major area of concern as the people of the Niger Delta of Nigeria will not accept results of any elections that disregards the democratic will of the people by imposing a governor or other politically elected officials such as the Senators, National Assembly and House of Representatives Members of the choice by what we in Nigeria refer to as the Political Mafia or Political Cabal.
We are aware, sir, that in the past few days leading up to this meeting you initiated that Nigerians and friends of Nigeria all over the world and from Nigeria have called into a special telephone line of the White House to express our concerns, fears, hopes, and expectations to you.
We hope that as a world leader and believer you will shift the messages and act on them as Mr. President our very lives, existence and future depends on what you do or don’t do.
We are most encouraged by what God has used you to achieve in the situation of North and South Korea, by God’s grace and wisdom you will be able to keep Nigeria from imploding and affecting not only Africa disastrously but indeed the world at large.
This impending disaster will affect Europe and the United States of America and the world at large.
Niger Delta Self Determination Movement, NDSDM, is a non-violent organization of the numerous Ethnic Nationalities of the Oil and Gas Region of Niger Delta.
We desire nothing less than Peace, Liberty, Equity, and Justice.
We are available anytime, anywhere to truthfully and fearlessly present out case.
Annkio Briggs is a daughter, servant, and respected leader of the Niger Delta. She is a leading voice in the struggle for human rights and environmental justice in the oil-rich region. Connect with her on Facebook.
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.
