The joint revolutionary council of the Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force (JNDLF), which claims to be the highest organ of “all the freedom fighting body” in the Niger Delta, has declared ceasefire.
The group had earlier threatened to launch six missiles in the region and to also shut Nigeria’s airspace, but it said it decided to do otherwise after the federal government offered to dialogue.
However, JNDLF said government would have to comply with its demand if it wants the momentary peace to be sustained.
Some of the group’s demands are the immediate release of Sambo Dasuki, former national security adviser (NSA), reversal of the order to freeze the bank accounts of Government Ekpemupolo, better known as Tompolo, establishment of Matitime University in Okerenkoko, Delta state, among others.
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The group said Niger Delta governors are its representatives and threatened “to go after them if they betray the region”.
“We shall continue to engage in dialogue if our demands are met. Our representatives for the dialogue, especially the governors and others will not betray our demands with the federal government. Any betrayal on their own part shall be viewed as betrayal of the entire region and we shall go after them immediately as they know our mode of operation in which they will not escape from us,” JNDLF said in a statement.
“There is no gainsaying that we made our earlier promise to launch six missiles simultaneously against some targeted areas. But this was waved aside as a result of appeals made to us through email by the federal government and some international nations to open talks with Buhari.
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“We saw some genuine aspiration on the part of Buhari, who made several contacts to us to see reason with them over the issue of under-development of the region. And since he (Buhari) had set the ball rolling for a clear negotiation with us, there is no problem without solution. We have therefore declared ceasefire in order to negotiate with the government if it is a true reflection of what they have in mind to develop the Niger Delta region.”
The group said it was more interested in negotiating with the government on the basis of developing the Niger Delta rather than giving out monetary compensation.
It also demanded the implementation of the report of the 2014 national conference, and the removal of Paul Boroh, coordinator of the presidential amnesty programme.
“We are not ready to negotiate with the federal government for the sake of monetary benefit to us but how genuinely the government will develop the region is at the centre of our discussion and anything less than that we will continue our struggle without further warning to the federal government,” the statement read.
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“We demand the immediate implementation of the report of the 2014 national conference report, failure of which Nigeria will forcefully break-up. Oil-polluted lands in the Niger Delta must be cleaned up, while compensation should be paid to all oil-producing communities, e.g. Chevron fire outbreak of gas explosion in Koluama, Bayelsa state and Bonga Oil Spill in 2011;
“We also demand the immediate release of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd) and Dr. Nnamdi Kanu.
“We also want the removal of Brigadier General Paul Boroh (rtd.) as Amnesty Coordinator. He does not understand the programmes and policies of the Amnesty and does not know us to the grassroots. “Hence he should be replaced with Dr. Felix Tuodolo who has been in the struggle of non-violence since 1980 and he was the designer of the amnesty programme.
“We carried out all these attacks on oil and gas pipelines in the region because of the statement made by President Buhari that he will develop those areas that gave him 95% votes during his presidential election last year. We, the Niger Delta people only gave him 5% hence we vowed that our oil money will not be used for the development of any other region.”
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Despite the declaration of the JNDLF, the Niger Delta Avengers, the group which has led the attacks on oil installations since the resurgence of militancy, blew up pipelines in Bayelsa state on Friday.
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13 comments
If criminals start to give government conditions for them to stop committing crimes and government agrees their conditions, it is a doom to the country.
I believe PDP members that benefited from the corruption of the past administration are the sponsors of this dastard acts. Government should not circumbed to the blackmail
WHAT ABOUT YOUR BOKOHARAM BROTHERS DIDN’T THEY GAVE BUHARI CONDITIONS AND DEMAND??? OR YOU THINK HAUSA FULANIS THAT CONTRIBUTES 0% TO THE ECONOMY OF THIS COUNTRY DESERVES THE BEST, WELL THINK AGAIN BECAUSE THE DAYS OF BORN TO RULE ARE OVER ASK THE BRITISH THE WILL TELL YOU.
It is obvious from their own statements/demands that both the JNDLF and their evil collaborator- Niger Delta Avengers are very unserious and highly irresponsible criminal group, not deserving any privilege of FG dialogue! To me, Boko Haram are far better & goal oriented than JNDLF/Avengers whose demands are that people like Dasuki, currently standing trial over the arms deal money, be released and trial discontinued! That all people from Niger Delta extraction, standing trial for corruption and those currently been investigated for corrupt practices should be allowed to go free of corruption charges and ongoing anti corruption pursuits by FG against people of Niger Delta region, (ie all the corrupt people in Nigeria should not be questioned over their graft in the long run- their ultimate aim.) It is quite clear here that the JNDLF/Niger Delta Avengers are simply puns in the chess board of former PDP led FG and their collaborators who criminally & shamelessly looted the treasury of this country and now want to enjoy their loot unquestioned by the anti corruption drive of President Muhammadu Buhari govt! The JNDLF/ND Avengers are a “cash & carry” criminal organisation, just like the “hired assassins”, “mercenaries” etc who exist exclusively for whoever calls on their service and able to meet their miserable financial remuneration demands! There is ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, there is NDDC, there is 13% derivation, there is the Amnesty deal – all these exclusively caters for Niger delta people’s interest and welfare, and all these intervention are multi billions dollar projects each, undertaken by the FG, with the exclusion of other regions benefiting same! All these goodies are meant for the Niger delta and its people alone! So the question is, what the JNDLF/ND Avengers want? They’ve answered this question by the very demands those shameless governors from Niger delta put before VP Osibanjo in their last meeting- that “corruption charges by FG against people of Niger Delta be dropped for oil pipeline/facilities bombings to stop”! This news was broken to the surprise of all by Sahara Reporters, and it was reported that of all the Niger Delta. Governors present at the meeting cheered by VP Osinbajo, it was only the governor of Edo state & deputy governor of Cross River state that objected to these obnoxious demand! Therefor, its quite clear now that Corruption is indeed fighting back! We must all unite behind the FG to defeat corruption, otherwise we all be ruined sooner than expected! May God Bless Nigeria & Makes its good people to triumph over the few evil ones even though those corrupt selfish few, control the economy for now! You can engage me on twitter- @MKOMomoh
Momoh’s comment is a typical reflection of the polarized, mischievous, capitalist and obnoxiously bedeviled point of view that gets the intestine of the Niger deltans and the militant rumbling, politics has chased sincerity nd unity of purpose into hiding, if the FG is sincere in fighting corruption as claimed then what is Amaechi still doing in PMB’s administration after all the petitions on corruption leveled against him. I want to conclude that may be Momoh is one of those that own oil wells in the Niger delta nd is so apprehensive on the possibility of loosing such in the event of any restructuring of this saprophytic rather than symbiotic union that constitute Nigeria, which have long been over due for restructuring since 2014. I think it’s time for Nigeria to face the truth and do the needful because if we continue on Momoh’s line of reasoning then natural forces will do the needful for us and in the manner it wishes, offcause we will all inherit the consequences.
Thanks for being truthful.
The inclusion of release of Dasuki as one of the conditions for cease fire is simply deceitful. The fact is that they are simply working for Tompolo and is high time the military wake up from its slumber. Their master is not the only Nigerian whose account is frozen. This is a task for Nigeria army and not the killing of innocent IPOB members on peaceful protest
A Yoruba proverb literarily translate to mean the untrained child would,in the future ,liquidate the house we struggled to build. After the first republic,nigerias successive leaders flagrantly and crinally aboundoned their avowed responsibilities to the general populace. The whole of the north is in crisis,the east is restless,the south is hellbent on destructionwhile the west is relatively calm. A curious look reveals a frightening correlation in past and present attitude of govts to various quarters in Nigeria. The west benefited immensely from Obafemi Awolowo
When Boko haram militant in northeast was existing it was give federal Govt warning like you said.
But this government is fight and finish to them.
How did you launch to fight with Federal government.
Federal Government is higher then to everybody in nigeria
If Federal Government will ready to negotiate with you
as for what reason FG will negotiate with you
Impact of Dasuki release, Tompolo and Nnamdi kanu Ibrahim Zazzaky and so on
I have never think that this government will release to them
Because all of them the are try to teach the followers betray the law and order to the country
As i mean you are too young to give federal government warning
If Government will not serious to taking Action on you
I think it is not fear
Dont think foolish
THE 2 ELEPHANTS ARE FIGHTING AND THE GRASS(niger deltans)HAVE STARTED SUFFERING. AVENGERS CONTINUE BOMBING AND UR POAPLE WOULD CONTINUE CRYING FOR FOOD,SHELTER AND LACK OF PORTABLE WATER
WE ARE SOLIDLY BEHIND YOU OUR DEAR FREEDOM FIGHTERS, THE NIGERIAN STATE HAVE FAILD US, WE NEED TO SECURE OUR FUTURE AND THE TIME IS NOW. WE ARE TIRED OF EMPTY PROMISES FROM THOSE WHO ARE STEALING OUR RESOURCES IN THE NAME OF NIGERIA WHILE WE ARE SUFFERING.
WE ARE SOLIDLY BEHIND YOU OUR FREEDOM FIGHTERS, THE TIME IS NOW, THE NIGERIAN STATE HAVE FAILD US WITH THEIR EMPTY PROMISES WHILE SHARING OUR RESOURCES TO THEMSELVES. HOW PEOPLE OWN OIL WELLS FROM OUR LAND? ALL BELONG TO THE OWNERS OF NIGERIA. IF A PERSON HAVE NO PLACE IN A FAMILY, U QUIT OR FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT. LET ME AS WELL WARN THE NIGERIAN STATE FROM KILLING OUR CHILDREN. ENOUGH
It’s so sad to see how my people are being used to further some people’s ridiculous agenda. Some idiots raped your homeland dry and made off with what should have been put towards the development of the region and the lives of the ppl in that area and now, some group is ready to fight so that these same ppl can enjoy their stolen loot. To threaten the unity of Nigeria as a whole just so some criminal elements can escape trial and punishment is the stupidest thing ever. You want to follow Igbo on this crazy mission to split up Nigeria? What chance do you believe indigenous citizens of the state will have at actually doing anything for the state and their ppl? The oppression of the Ibos would just be worse. When I say Ibos, I’m referring to the Ikwerres who believe that Rivers state and it’s governance is their’s alone. Continue following them like mindless drones. When they reveal their real agenda, it will be too late.
Your comment..this govt needs prayers. from 1999 to date the hausa and yorubas have used our oil wealth without thinking of building a bridge to close d gap of marginalisation rather set up ministry of niger delta nndc nd create o pocket for the heads to continue to steal our wealth bcos they hav oil wells nd armunations. they have failed bcos we d niger delta hav gotton eagle eyes to see d atrocities they hav committed. pmb should wake up to implement yar aduas blue print of taking nigeria to d next level. the hausa should not allow the yorubas to kill all good leaders from d north as d conspire in d coven to know who will not last as president if elected