From Paul Osuyi, Asaba

MEMBERS of the emergent mili­tant group, Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) have warned other militant groups in the Niger Delta to desist from attacking soldiers and targeting aircraft with anti-aircraft missiles.

Avengers had claimed responsibility for multiple attacks on oil facilities in the renewed wave of hostilities in the Niger Delta region. But new militants including the Joint Niger Delta Libera­tion Force (JNDLF) recently came up with a threat to launch assault missiles against aircraft. However, spokesman for the NDA, Mudoch Agbinibo in a statement yesterday, stated that the intention of the group was to cripple oil production in the region and not to shed human blood, whether military or civilian.

NDA which had earlier dissociated itself from Wednesday’s killing of two soldiers and four civilians in Delta State vowed to deal with any group that refuses to heed its warning not to attack soldiers.” The high command of the avengers is calling on you not to attack any soldier and those claiming to have anti aircraft missiles should desist from targeting any aircraft.

Let us be careful not to offend God in the process of trying to liberate our people from the shackles of the Ni­gerian government, because we need God more than anything right now.

“We also need the international bodies as well. Hence, we must desist from any life threatening actions that will derail our genuine struggle for our people. All groups are hereby discour­aged from indulging in harassing oil workers and soldiers. We urge you all to help any oil worker or soldier you see in distress. “The military war­planes hovering round our towns and villages have not struck a soul, or de­stroyed any property. So those groups with anti aircraft missiles should dry their gunpowder. When it is time to engage the military in combat, the whole world will know they started the war, and not the Avengers.

“The Niger Delta Avengers high command will pass the message round that it’s not time to engage in gun bat­tle. So far, we have not engaged the Nigeria military in combat; despite the heavy presence of the military at the pipelines. We still find a way to carry out our actions without attacking sol­diers. “The avengers will deal with any group that refuses to heed this warning, and attacks the military.

The high command is calling on all groups in Rivers, Ondo, Delta, Bayel­sa, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom not to indulge in any act of kidnapping and attacking of soldiers. The war is on oil installations: ‘Operation no flow of oil.’