Niger Delta intellectuals ask FG to be decisive about ‘criminal activities’ in the region

Following the recent threat to declare Niger Delta Republic on June 1, several intellectuals in the region under the aegis of Niger-Delta Intellectual Front (NDIF) have advised the federal government to take proactive measures.

A militant group known as Network of Niger Delta Republic Fighters, Monday, warned of an impending breakaway, highlighting some selective maltreatment of Niger Delta people.

In a statement on Wednesday, the NDIF said this group should be treated like a terror organization similar to any other group planning to unleash another wave of criminality on the people or the economy of the nation.

The group, however, urged the FG and Niger Delta elders to take prompt action as any attempt to break out should be treated as treason.

“ The Niger-Delta Intellectual Front (NDIF) has become aware of the separatist threats issued by the so called Niger Delta Republic Fighters and wants to assure Nigerians that threats of attacks can never elevate criminal elements from their dismal existence into relevance, A lizard will never become a crocodile even in the creeks,” the statement read.

“NDIF has taken time to study the threats of disruption of oil multinationals, hijack of Port Harcourt International Airport by phantom separatists fighter jets, threat of violence against other Nigerians amongst other rants and have come to the inevitable conclusion that those that issued the statement are political jobbers that are on a final revenue generation round before the May 29 Inauguration Day, when it would have become obvious that they failed their political paymasters in preventing Nigeria from the steady march on the path of progress.

“From the language of the statement issued by the wannabe separatists, it is apparent that they are on an errand on behalf of the opposition that lost the Presidential Election to President Muhammadu Buhari and discredited organizations like PANDEF. It is most unfortunate that they could not even hide the identity of those that sent them on the fool’ errand they are running even as it is apparent that those that have been misled to take on this task do not realize the enormity of the crimes they are committing by merely issuing the statement they have put in the public space.

“We therefore want to warn the so called Niger Delta Republic Fighters that it shall be treated as a terror organization like any other any other group planning to unleash another wave of criminality on the people or the economy of the nation. Incidentally, Nigeria is not new to their kind of anti-social behaviour since a similar pattern played out in 2015 when the economic permutations of some people did not play out.

“The real Niger Delta elders should urgently step in to prevent a few greedy youths from turning the creeks into killing zones through commercial agitation that is not in any way connected with the aspiration of the Niger Delta. Declaring a Niger Delta republic, even for the purpose of extorting money from patrons, would amount to treason, which comes with consequences. Attack on economic infrastructure is equally a crime and no one should be deceived to think that it shall be perceived as an armless prank.

“Even though we know this threat is coming from drug addled youths that have succumbed to the guiles of politicians, we nonetheless call on our security agencies to intesify surveilance of the Niger Delta, particulalry of the infrastructures mentioned for attacks with a view to apprehending the criminals behind the threats. We further urged that those behind the threat should be arrested before the dates they have indicated.”