The violent militant group, Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, has finally agreed to a cease fire.
The Avengers announced their emergence in May 2016 with the bombing of oil installations belonging to the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and other multinational corporations.
The main agenda of the group was to cripple the nation’s economy to force President Muhammadu Buhari to agree for secession of Niger Delta people or for comprehensive restructure of the country.
In compliance with the plea of Ijaw leaders who finally met to prevail on the militants in order to ward off escalation of military action, the Avengers have finally agreed to halt further attacks on oil and gas installations.
“We are going to continue the observation of our unannounced cessation of hostilities in the Niger Delta against all interest of the Multinational oil Corporations.
“But we will continuously adopt our asymmetric warfare during this period if, the Nigerian government and the ruling political All Progressives Congress, APC, continues to use security agencies, formations and politicians to arrest, intimidate, invade and harass innocent citizens, suspected NDA members and invade especially Ijaw communities.”
This is the first time, since hostilities, that the Avengers will agree to a ceases fire.
According to their spokesman, Mr. Mudoch Agbinibo, the Avengers’ decision was in support of any collective negotiation involving their elder statesman , Chief Edwin Clark.
They support a negotiation with government to be led by Clark and with representatives from the home countries of all multinational Oil Corporations and neutral international mediators.
The talks should be focused on achieving the short, medium and long term frameworks and objectives to de-escalating conflicts in the Niger Delta.
“Most of the frameworks and objectives are clearly stated in various reports, declarations and recommendations of the likes of the Sir.Henry Willinks minority rights reports of pre-independence Nigeria (1957-8).
“Others are the Kaiama Declaration document, The General Alexander Ogomudia report, The Leedum Mittee headed, Niger Delta Technical Committee report and restructuring to fiscal federalism.”
The Avengers said that the struggle has always been a Pan-Niger Delta one, but that the anti Niger Delta elements were using some disorganized characters from the region to “scuttle all effort to restore the essence of our humanity; resources control and self-determination”.
In a website posting on Sunday, the avengers said: “We have resolved to reject any idea of the peace of our times; we want the peace with honor this time around”.
” Our advice to our Niger Delta elders and genuine stakeholders is that, whenever this inhuman project called Nigeria and her government is ready for dialogue/negotiations with them, this mandate should be treated with that care as driving a vehicle like that of a truck laden with fire.”
