…Threaten more attacks on pipelines
From: Tony John, Port Harcourt
Niger Delta militants have described governors in the region, particularly those in the South-east, as cowards, for keeping mute, in the face of repeated provocation by Fulani herdsmen.
Also, they have threatened to bomb more flow stations in the region. The militants, under the aegis of Concerned Militant Leaders (CMLs), yesterday, lambasted state governors in the region, for cowardly allowing the Federal Government’s indirect war against their domains without any resistance.
Spokesperson of the group, who preferred to be addressed as General Ben, said that their men were embittered that governors of the affected states could not rise up in outright condemnation of the havoc Fulani herdsmen had done in their respective states.
The group expressed sadness on the recent killing in Aba, Abia State, allegedly by soldiers, stressing that it was too challenging.
General Ben recalled: “The Fulani cattle rearers recently killed our people in Ukpabi Nimbo, in Uzo Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State. Also, before then, they had killed our Igbo brethren in Irete, Imo State; they had also murdered our people in Delta State and many other places. Last Thursday, soldiers killed two innocent
persons in Aba, Abia State. In all these unwarranted killings, the governors could not tell the Federal Government that ‘enough is enough’. It is shameful that we do not have governors who are bold. They cannot even condemn the proposed National Grazing Reserve Bill. This is unacceptable.
The bill should be for the North and not the Niger Delta region. This is another Boko Haram in disguise. It cannot happen.
“We are telling them (Niger Delta governors) that we will give maximum support to any group that comes out to fight oppression in whatever disguise against our people. It is an abomination for a stranger or visitor to kill the owner of the house. We cannot allow it to go scot-free,” the militants vowed.
Speaking further, the militants, who said they were not part of the amnesty programme of Federal Government, reiterated their stance on the ultimatum given to Fulani herdsmen to vacate Niger Delta region within two weeks, saying the invasion
of the region and subsequent killing of innocent community dwellers, has diverted attention from the continued incarceration of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) and Director of Radio Biafra. Ben maintained that there was no retreat on their solidarity for IPOB’s agitation for a sovereign state. Members of
the group further stated that they were in support of their colleagues who bombed the Chevron Platform in Abiteye, Warri North Council Area of Delta State.
The group threatened that the Federal Government would see attacks and killings at major oil stations to cripple the economy, until it addressed lopsided topical issues.
