Jonathan, Clark begged us not to declare a republic, say militants

Adaka Boro Avengers (ABA), the militant group, which threatened to declare a Niger Delta republic, has explained that appeals from prominent personalities such as: former President Goodluck Jonathan and Edwin Clark, made it to shelve the plan.

Edmos Ayayeibo, spokesman of the group, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday, saying  ABA had no choice but to defer to stakeholders from the region.

“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,” the statement read.

“The Nigerian government has enslaved the people of Niger Delta region. 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 is 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.”

The group also called on the federal government not engage in any dialogue with the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND).

“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,” he said.

“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.”