The National President of National Coalition of Niger Delta Ex-Agitators, NCNDE-A, Israel Akpodoro, yesterday, insisted that no group, including the Niger Delta Avengers, should hold the country to ransom.
He also frowned at the claim by the Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force JNDLF, that ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, had fled the country to Libya.
NDA in a statement by its spokesperson, Brig.-General Mudoch Agbinibo, said: “Since the amalgamation of Nigeria in 1914 to date, our resources have been used to sustain the political administrative live wire of Nigeria to the exclusion of the Niger Delta.
“We are calling on the international community to come and support the restoration of our right to peaceful self-determination from this tragedy of 1914 that has expired since 2014. We want our resources back to restore the essence of human life in our region for generations to come because Nigeria has failed to do that. The world should not wait until we go the Sudan ways.
“Since the day crude oil was discovered in commercial quantity in Oloibiri, present day Bayelsa State, what we have been asking successive governments in Nigeria is potable drinking water, electricity, roads, employment, quality education/educational facilities, resource control, participation in the oil business and inclusive government that will engender substantial freedom.
“The reverse has been the case: from Oloibiri, Brass LNLG and export terminals in Bayelsa; Bonny LNLG and export terminals in Rivers State; ExxonMobil in Akwa Ibom; Escravos EGTL/ Tankfarm and export terminals; Forcados Tankfarm and export terminals in Delta State operated respectively by Anglo-Dutch Shell, Chevron/Texaco Overseas, Agip ENI, ExxonMobil.
“The history of our communal lives is terror of poverty, inhumanity and desolate living conditions. However, when you move into these facilities operated by the multinational oil corporations, they are living like Kings and Presidents.
“For over five decades, we had given multinational oil corporations and their collaborator, the Nigerian state peace, cooperation and love for the crude oil to flow unhindered from our land.
“The continuous tranquility is only manifesting in the development of mountains, rock, valleys, deserts and lagoon, but the Niger Delta territory continually alienated from all types of development and all essence of quality human life, while all successive governments worship the crude oil taken from the region. Our communities and the people are only good at securing the pipelines, oil and gas facilities.
“We are calling on the international community, especially Britain, France, the United States of America, Russia, China and European Union to speak up against this ongoing terror and come to the aid of the Niger Delta, as witnesses to this grave inhumanity and history of terror perpetuated against the people of the Niger Delta daily.
“This history of terror, we the Niger Delta Avengers will resist and correct with every means necessary. We have nothing to lose in the battles ahead; justice, they say is only found within the structure of a nation state.”
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