Why we didn’t declare Niger Delta Republic

Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan AFP PHOTO / PIUS UTOMI EKPEI

Ovie Okpare, Warri

Niger Delta militant group, Adaka Boro Avengers, has said it cancelled its planned declaration of a Niger Delta Republic after appeals from Ijaw leaders, including ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.
A statement issued by the spokesman of the group, Edmos Ayayeibo, reiterated its determination to cripple the nation’s economy until President Muhammadu Buhari showed a sincere desire to dialogue and restructure the country.
ABA, which is also an affiliate of the dreaded Niger Delta Avengers, also warned the federal government against entering dialogue with the defunct Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta if the government wants peace in the oil-rich region.
The statement reads in part, “We adhere to the voice of our people, because our struggle is for the Niger Delta people and not for selfish reason. But this is not the end. More has yet to come. Our mission to cripple the economy of the Nigerian nation will not stop until the Nigerian government is ready to sit on a roundtable to dialogue and to restructure the Nigeria.
“We received calls from prominent leaders like Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Mrs. Ankio Briggs, Chief E. K. Clark and especially King Alfred Diete Spiff calling on the freedom fighters to abort their mission to declare Niger Delta Republic.
“Unless that, we will not stop until Nigeria becomes a zero economy. We are also saying this for the benefit of President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigerian government to stop wasting their time with those greedy fellows that call themselves MEND because nothing good will come out of them rather than sabotage.
“Everything they are saying, not even one will be accomplished. We will never agree with anything they say and henceforth MEND should watch their back because we have tolerated them for a very long time.
“Enough is enough, since they want to set confusion in the Niger Delta we will start from them.”