New militant group, Niger Delta Avengers has issued a statement denying involvement in an attack on a military station in Warri, Delta State. According to reports, the attack left two soldiers dead and media had begun to ascribe the attack to the militant group.
In a statement published on its website on Thursday, June 2, 2016 and signed by its spokesman, Brigadier General Mudoch Agbinibo, the Niger Delta Avengers say that the group does not “take innocent lives” and it doesn’t kill sleeping soldiers.
“The Niger Delta Avengers was not involved in the attack of the military houseboat around Warri, Delta State. Killing of sleeping Soldiers is not our style,” Agbinibo wrote.
“We promise the world that in this process of liberating our people, not a single blood of Nigerian soldiers will be wasted despite the provocation.”
The militants said it clearly that it is not a group that kills and the focus of the war is to end the oil production in the country and not kill anybody. The Delta Avengers also said that even the brutal Nigerian soldiers will not be killed by the group.
“The days of killing and kidnapping are over”, the statement said. “Even the inhumane Nigerian soldiers are exempted, our war is on oil installations not to take innocent lives. For the fact we can’t give life, we also don’t have the power to take any life.
The Avengers also promised to exact punishment on the killers of the soldiers. “But we (Avengers) are assuring the families of the affected soldiers that we will bring the culprits to book,” the group said.
“When it’s time to face the military in combat let the whole world know that we won’t be the ones to throw the first punch.
“This message is going to all groups parading themselves as freedom fighters. You can fight for your people without killing innocent souls. Niger Delta Avengers has proved it. We were able to drop Nigeria’s oil production from 2 million Barrels to just 800,000 barrels without killing a soul.
“We are warning every group to follow our footsteps. The days of killing and kidnapping are over.
Who are the Niger Delta Avengers
Niger Delta Avengers is a new militancy group that is operating in the oil-rich region of Southern Nigeria.
The militants say they are waging a war for a free Niger Delta Republic in what it tags, Operation Red Economy, with a view of halting crude oil production in Nigeria to force the government to grant the group’s demands.
The Niger Delta Avengers has presented an 11-point demand to President Muhammadu Buhari and the first is the implementation of the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference. [Download Conference report HERE.]
