Militants Threaten To Attack Niger-Delta Governors

THE Joint Revolutionary Council, JRC, of the Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force, JNDLF, yesterday, warned that it would go after any state governor from the Niger Delta region that betrays the current struggle by militants. The militant group gave the warning on a day the Niger Delta Avengers blew up a key crude oil pipeline, belonging to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company, Agip Eni, in Bayesla State making it the 16th of such attacks on pipelines since it commenced pipeline bombing on February 10.


JNDLF in a statement by the Commander, General Duties, JNDLF, General Akotebe Darikoro, and three others, also explained why the militant group did not launch six missiles in the region as earlier threatened. The group, which has agreed to engage in dialogue with the Federal Government also made a seven-point demand to forestall further attacks. Its words: “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.”


Failed missiles

The group asserted: “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 (President) Buhari.” “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 added that: “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.”

Conditions to forestall further attacks
The group also gave some conditions which the government must meet in order to avert resumption of struggle which include: “immediate release of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd) and Dr. Nnamdi Kanu, whose release was ordered by the court severally, pointing out that “their continued detention was unconstitutional and against the tenet of our nascent democracy in the country”. JNDLF also demanded that: “the government must “direct EFCC to defreeze the bank accounts of ex- militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, (a.k.a. Tompolo). The only Nigerian Maritime University sited in the most appropriate and befitting place– Okerenkoko in Delta State, must start the 2015/2016 academic session immediately;

“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; “Removal of Brigadier General Paul Boroh (rtd.) as an Amnesty Coordinator who does not understand the programmes and policies of the Amnesty and does not know us to the grassroots.

“Hence he (Boroh) 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. The group added: “We carry 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. The President should change his mind-set towards the region, if not this will continue.”

JNDLF asserted: “We further thank the American government and other international nations through several emails for prevailing on us not to use missiles, but to come to round table discussion with the federal government. We also thank our foreign partners whohave gone back with their chartered submarine vessels.

However, if these demands are not met as we have embarked on cease fire now, there will be no further ultimatum to the Nigerian government,” it said. Avengers blow up Agip ENI crude pipeline in Bayelsa. Meanwhile, while Nigeria is still bleeding over previous pipeline attacks, Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, wreaked more pains, Friday, blowing up a key crude oil pipeline, belonging to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company, Agip Eni, in Bayesla State. Barely 24 hours earlier, militants, bombed a crude pipeline belonging to NPDC, a subsidiary of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, around Ogidigben, Warri South- West local government area of Delta state. The unrepentant militants have noticeably spurned the two- week ceasefire by the Federal Government and also turned away from dialogue, Avengers did not claim responsibility for the Thursday evening attack, initially thought to be an SPDC facility around Ogidigben, Warri South West local government area, Delta state, but in a tweet on its twitter handle, it said: “3.00 am of Friday @Niger Delta Avengers blow up the Obi Obi Brass Trunk line belonging to Agip ENI. It is Agip’s major crude oil line in Bayelsa state.” Joyful about the country’s calamity occasioned by its crushing strikes, the group in another tweet said: “It is good as foreign refineries stop buying Nigeria oil because the Nigeria state has been robbing the Niger Delta of her oil and gas. We will inform the international community when we are open for business,” NDA added. On June 2 at about 2:00am, the group blew up the Ogboinbiri to Tebidaba and Clough Creek to Tebidaba crude oil pipelines in Bayelsa State and at about 3:00 am, blasted the SPDC Forcados 48" Export line, saying, “We warned SPDC not to go ahead with repair works but they refused.”

Gbaramatu communities deplore fresh attacks Reacting to the latest pipeline attack riverside communities in Gbaramatu Kingdom, yesterday, condemned the bombings of crude lines in Bayelsa and Delta States respectively by the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA). Spokesperson of the communities and chairman of Kokodiagbene community, Comrade Sheriff Mulade, said: ‘’Our position is that the continued bombings of the region in view of the ceasefire arrangement is highly condemnable. They are technically crippling the economy to enable them get what they want. Therefore, they should not personalize their Niger Delta demands.

“Some of the things they highlighted are what the Niger Delta people are agitating for and violence is not best way to get those things done. We think they are only taking advantage of government’s failure to address these fundamental issues. ‘’We want to draw the attention of these militants to the fact they are destroying our environment which is the only thing that we have. The massive spills these bombings have triggered have devastated the environment and to remediate the environment would take decades to do. So, their acts are roundly condemned,” he said. In spite of the provocation, Mulade appealed to the federal government to be patient and adopt a more robust intelligence gathering mechanism to fish out the perpetrators whom he described as criminal elements masquerading as Niger Delta agitators. The communities urged the military high command to look inward because they were moles in its ranks and files, who work hands in gloves with the masterminds of the heinous crimes.

Cease bombing or lose support —Onokpasa In addition, APC chieftain in Delta state, Jesutega Onokpasa, has called on the Niger Delta Avengers to stop bombing pipelines or lose the support of Niger Deltans, He said: “Niger Deltan Avengers and other groups targeting oil and gas facilities should embrace the olive branch extended to them in form of the ceasefire declared by the Federal Government. The Avengers and similar groups must now demonstrate their love for the region by embracing dialogue. Recalcitrance and further destruction of our oil and gas infrastructure on their part will only cast them in the light of vandals and not the freedom fighters they claim to be.

The danger in such conduct will have the effect of further alienating the Niger Delta people from them which will prove to be quite ironic since they claim to be fighting our collective cause,” he said. Onokposa urges Tompolo to intervene Onokposa added: “I equally call on Government Ekpemupolo, aka Tompolo, wherever he might be to now demonstrate that he can be a part of the solution and not the problem. He has done it before during the Yar’Adua era when he was the last man standing and keyed into the Amnesty Program. “He should strive to do it again and be assured that his intervention will not be construed by reasonable men as indicative of the fact that he masterminded the attacks in the first place.

Many people already know that disenchanted former militants, who have returned to armed struggle due to hunger and frustration occasioned by the dynamics of our recent political experience, orchestrated the attacks. “I therefore urge Tompolo to be part of the solution and to take my advice in good faith in spite of the differences we might have had in the past. At the end of the day, Buhari’s government is the one we have and it needs money to function for our own good. If it cannot function, we will all be the losers if the country collapses on our heads.”

Group faults Buhari

However, Secretary, Gbaramatu Political Forum, Comrade Isaiah Ogah, blamed the recent upsurge in militancy in the region on President Muhammadu Buhari’s desperation to rubbish former President Goodluck Jonathan. Ogah said: “Buhari demonstrated hatred for the people of Niger Delta, particularly the Ijaws by cancelling the Maritime University at Okerenkoko and proposing six new universities. “I sincerely appeal to the Niger Avengers to please embrace dialogue for the sake of the innocent Nigerian people.

“We are waiting also for the military to apologize to the people of Gbaramatu kingdom for the unwarranted harassment and inhuman treatment of criminalizing us in the wake of the attacks,” he asserted. Ogah further called on the Delta gtate governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, to visit Gbaramatu to assuage the pains suffered by the king and victims of military harassment. Bid to bomb Tuomo gas pipeline thwarted. 

In a related development, security operatives, have foiled an attempt by suspected militants to blow up the Tuomo gas pipeline in Bayelsa state after blasting the Agip crude oil pipeline in the early hours of Friday (June 10). A source said security agents pursued the leader of the gang, one VIP, suspected to be from Azagbene community in Ekeremor local government and four others, but they escaped into the mangrove swamp. NDA attack timeline (Not less than 16 attacks between February 10 and June 9). 
* February 10, 2016: At about 1:30 am, the group
attacked the Bonny Soku Gas Export Line. The line
conveys natural gas to the Nigeria Liquefied Natural
Gas plant and an independent power plant at Gbaran in the Niger Delta.

* February 14: It attacked an SPDC giant underwater
Forcados 48-inch Export Pipeline at the Forcados Export Terminal.

* February 19: At about 3:30 a.m, blew up the Clough
Creek Tebidaba Agip Pipeline Manifold in Bayelsa State.

* May 4: Attacked the Chevron Valve Platform located
at Abiteye. This platform is reportedly the most significant platform for Chevron as it serves as the main connecting point where all other platforms link up and it is a fulcrum to Chevron BOP and the Chevron Tank Farm.

* May 5: Launched a coordinated attack on the Chevorn Well D25 in Abiteye and blew up major pipelines. *May 13: Bombed a Chevron pipeline at two separate spots near a military location. 

* May 20: It attacked the Escravos Gas Pipeline, a facility of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, in Delta State.

*May 25: NDA Struck Chevron main electricity feed pipeline to the Escravos Tank Farm at Ciera creek in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State.

* May 27: Destroyed the Nembe 1, 2 and 3 Brass to Bonny trunk lines belonging to Nigerian Agip Oil Company, NAOC and Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC in Bayelsa State at about 2.15am on Saturday. 

*May 27: Blew up NNPC Gas and Crude trunk lines in
Warri at 11.45 pm

*May 31: Blew up Chevron Oil Well RMP 23 and RMP 24 believed to the company’s highest swamp producing oil wells at about 3:44 am

*June 1: It carried out twin -attack on Well RMP 23 and RMP 24 owned by Chevron Nigeria Limited. Both wells are located at Dibi in Warri South West local government area of Delta State.

*June 2: About 2.00 am, it also bombed the Ogboinbiri to Tebidaba and Clough Creek to Tebidaba Crude oil pipelines in Bayelsa State.

*June 3: At about 3:00 am, it blew up the SPDC Forcados 48" Export line in Delta State because the company went ahead with repair works against its warning

*June 3: At about 3:30am, strike team blew up Brass to Tebidaba Crude oil line in Bayelsa state.

*June 9: At 3:am of Friday, NDA blew up the Obi Obi Brass Trunk line belonging to Agip ENI. It is Agip’s Major Crude oil Line in Bayelsa State.

GOODBYE TO THE GREATEST Fans bid farewell to Muhammad Ali as the hearse carrying his body leaves the funeral home ahead of his multi-faith memorial service

The sporting great's star-studded burial will take place later today in Louisville

BOXING legends Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis, along with Hollywood actor Will Smith, help Muhammad Ali make his final ring walk – as the hearse carrying the icon’s body leaves the funeral home ahead of his memorial service in Louisville, Kentucky.

Pallbearers including Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis and Will Smith load Ali's casket into the hearse

Hundreds of fans gathered outside to say their final goodbyes to the three-time heavyweight champ.

Muhammad Ali's funeral cortege pulls past Muhammad Ali Boulevard in his hometown of Louisville Kentucky

Adoring fans throw roses on the passing funeral procession

Other stars attending the funeral at a 22,000-seater basketball stadium include Hollywood actor Will Smith, former U.S. President Bill Clinton, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, singer Yusuf Islam and comedian Billy Crystal.

Sherman Jackson, a Muslim scholar at the University of Southern California, spoke about the impact Ali’s death will have on followers of Islam.

He said: "The passing of Muhammad Ali has made us all feel a little more alone in the world.

"Something solid, something big, beautiful and life-affirming has left this world.”

he flower-covered hearse carrying Muhammad Ali makes its way down Broadway as the funeral procession makes its way to the cemetery in Louisville

The cultural icon, whose glittering boxing career lasted from 1960 until 1981, had reportedly been planning his funeral for ten years.

Ali wanted the service to honour his Muslim faith, which he adopted in the early 1960s, but also to be receptive toWestern media-driven culture.

On Thursday, U.S. President Barack Obama praised the sporting-great in a Facebook live broadcast from the White House, showing off a copy of the book, "GOAT: A Tribute to Muhammad Ali," and a signed pair of boxing gloves gifted to him by Ali.

He said: "It's very rare where a figure captures the imagination of the entire world.

"He was one of a kind and in my book he'll always be the greatest."

Born Cassius Clay in 1942, Ali won an Olympic gold medal in 1960 before sensationally winning the heavyweight title in 1964 beating Sonny Liston at age 22.

After refusing to fight in the Vietnam War, the sporting great was stripped of his titles and spent three years in the boxing wilderness from 1967 until 1970.

Ali’s greatness was largely defined by three iconic fights with Joe Frazier and his 1974 battle with George Foreman dubbed the Rumble in the Jungle.

The boxing idol retired after humiliating defeats to Larry Holmes and Trevor Berbick in 1980 and 1981 receptively.

In 1984, Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and withdrew from public life although he was actively involved in numerous charitable causes.

Iron Mike Tyson, who is still the youngest heavyweight champion all of time winning the title at 20-years-old in 1986, walks with the other pallbearers

Actor Will Smith, who played Ali on screen, and former undisputed heavyweight champ Lennox Lewis join the procession

Terry Wilson of Indianapolis stands between two of his paintings while outside the boyhood home of Muhammad Ali

Will Smith speaks with Imam Zaid Shakir, a prominent US Muslim scholar outside the funeral home

The pallbearers prepare to load the coffin into the hearse - as the world's media watches



Traffic literally stops in honour of the former heavyweight champ and Olympic gold medal winner

Europe migrant crisis: Heartbreaking photo of dead baby should shock the world

A HEARTBREAKING photograph of a drowned migrant baby in the arms of a charity worker has been released following a week in which 700 migrants were killed trying to cross the Mediterranean.

The baby, who appears to be no more than a year old, was pulled from the sea off the coast of Italy on Friday after a wooden boat capsized, The Sun reported.

Forty-five bodies arrived in the southern Italian port of Reggio Calabria on Sunday aboard an Italian navy ship, which picked up 135 survivors from the same incident.

German rescue organisation Sea-Watch, operating a rescue boat in the sea between Libya and Italy, released the picture taken by a media production company on board, in a bid to convince European authorities to ensure the safe passage of migrants.

In an email, the rescuer, who gave his name as Martin, said he had spotted the baby in the water “like a doll, arms outstretched”.

He said: “I took hold of the forearm of the baby and pulled the light body protectively into my arms at once, as if it were still alive ... It held out its arms with tiny fingers into the air, the sun shone into its bright, friendly but motionless eyes.”

The rescuer, a father of three and by profession a music therapist, added: “I began to sing to comfort myself and to give some kind of expression to this incomprehensible, heart-rending moment. Just six hours ago this child was alive.”

Like the photograph of the three-year-old Syrian boy Aylan laying lifeless on a Turkish beach last year, the image puts a human face on the more than 8000 people who have died in the Mediterranean since the start of 2014.

Little is known about the child who, according to Sea-Watch, was immediately handed over to the Italian navy.

Rescuers could not confirm whether the partially clothed tot was a boy or a girl and it is not known whether the child’s mother or father are among the survivors.

Sea-Watch collected around 25 other bodies, including another child, according to claims from the crew seen by Reuters.

The Sea-Watch team said it unanimously decided to publish the photo.

They said: “In the wake of the disastrous events it becomes obvious to the organisations on the ground that the calls by EU politicians to avoid further death at sea sum up to nothing more than lip service.

“If we do not want to see such pictures we have to stop producing them.”

The organisation called for Europe to allow migrants safe and legal passage as a way of shutting down people smuggling and further tragedies.

At least 700 migrants are believed to have died at sea during the past week — the busiest week of migrant crossings from Libya towards Italy this year, the UN Refugee agency said on Sunday.

The boat carrying the baby left the shores of Libya near Sabratha late on Thursday, and then began to take on water, according to accounts by survivors collected by Save the Children on Sunday. Hundreds were on board when it capsized, the survivors said.

The baby’s tragic death comes after it emerged that a woman migrant was decapitated in a horrific accident as a boat carrying 500 people started to sink in the Med on Thursday.

The vessel, which had no engine, was being towed by another smuggling boat — also with hundreds on board — when it started to take on water.

Survivors of the disaster claim refugees started to panic and jumped into the sea.

Others told how the Sudanese captain of the first boat then cut the tow rope which snapped back and decapitated a woman — though it is not clear which of the two boats she was on.

Hundreds drowned between Wednesday and Friday when their boats all overturned off southern Italy, according to the UN refugee agency.

Giovanna Di Benedetto, Save the Children’s spokeswoman in Sicily, told AFP it was impossible to verify the numbers involved but survivors of Thursday’s wreck spoke of around 1100 people setting out from Libya on Wednesday in two fishing boats and a dinghy.

She said: “The first boat, carrying some 500 people, was reportedly towing the second, which was carrying another 500. But the second boat began to sink. Some people tried to swim to the first boat, others held onto the rope linking the vessels.”

The Sudanese captain was arrested on his arrival in Pozzallo along with three other suspected people traffickers, Italian media reports said.

source thesun

Tourist films incredible moment three lions in Botswana lick water off her tent

A SHOCKED tourist could only watch in awe as three lionesses started to lick the water from her tent.

According to The Sun, Francie Lubbe and her husband were sitting inside her tent in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in Botswana during the incredible moment.

The nature lover managed to stay calm as the three lions padded up to the tent to take a drink.

She captured the whole thing on camera and posted the incredible scene on Facebook.

Lubbe said that it had been raining in the National Park overnight, leaving a large amount of rain water on their tent.

The front flap of the tent was open, leaving only a thin strip of material between her and the fearsome predators.

The tourists’ sun cream and drinks are visible in the amazing video.

In the hair-raising clip, the big cats calmly lick the gauze to drink the water.

The awe-inspiring beasts seem to have no idea that two humans were filming them from behind the gauze.

Lubbe wrote on Facebook: “What a privilege.

“It rained during the night and three lionesses are licking the water from the tent. It was special.”

She uploaded her other holiday snaps to Facebook on the group Kgalagadi Sightings.

The incredible clip was taken on 9 May.

The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park straddles South Africa and Botswana.

On the South African side, it is called the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park.

To the Botswanan side, the park is called the Gemsbok National Park.

The entire reserve covers 3.6 million hectares.

the sun

Fraud suspect dies in EFCC custody

Desmond Nunugwo, a suspect under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, passed away Friday few hours after he was taken into custody, the EFCC said in a statement.
Mr. Nunugwo’s death was confirmed at the hospital where he was rushed after he suddenly took ill.
The EFCC said he fraudulently obtained N91 million from an acquaintance after he tricked her into believing that he had high net worth business associates in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, who were at the verge of buying Nicon Insurance and convinced her of their disposition to help her stock fish business.
Consequently, the acquaintance wired N91 million into Mr. Nunugwo’s nominated account (Mainagge General Merchants) in Diamond Bank.
After the transfer of the funds, Mr. Nunugwo became evasive forcing the complainant to report the transaction to the EFCC.
“Mr. Nunugwo was arrested in Utako, Abuja, at about 5.33pm on Thursday, June 9, 2016,” a statement signed by EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, said.
“His statement was taken, where he admitted receiving the money from the complainant, with the additional information that he transferred N30m of the said money to Norway. But he could not explain the whereabouts of the balance of N61m.
“The suspect was detained at about 7.30pm, in the absence of anybody to take him on bail.

“Six hours later, he suddenly complained of discomfort and was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead,” the statement said.
The commission said the incident had already been reported at the Wuse Police Station, where investigation into the cause of the sudden death has commenced.

dailypost

Jonathan pays tribute to Stephen Keshi

Immediate past president of Nigeria, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, on Friday paid tribute to former Super Eagles Coach and defender, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi.

Keshi passed on early hours of Wednesday, citing heart related diseases.

Recall that Keshi won the 2013 edition of the African Cup of Nations, AFCON, when Jonathan was the president of the Country.

Jonathan paid his tribute via his twitter handle @GEJonathan on Friday.

He said, “I was Nigeria’s leader when Stephen Keshi led our team to win AFCON and I testify that we couldn’t have done it without him. Adieu Keshi.”

The former President has now joined other leaders and sports-loving people all over the world to pay tribute to the football legend who was among the few that achieved the feat of winning the AFCON as a player and a coach.

Mohammed Idiagbon: "Envious Colleagues Set Me Up" - UNILORIN Lecturer Says

A former Head of English Department, University of Ilorin, Dr Muhammed Idiagbon, who was accused of sexually harassing a female student of the school, says his ordeal is a set-up by his colleagues.

He said his co-workers, who were envious of his success and achievements, were behind the incident.

Idiagbon, who said this in a text message to our correspondent on Thursday, promised to give a detailed account of what happened in a press conference.

He said, “The allegation is harassment and not rape. It is a conspiracy; a set-up by my colleagues over my rise to stardom. I will address the media at the appropriate time.”

Efforts by our correspondent to get additional comments proved abortive, as his telephone line indicated that it had been switched off.

Meanwhile, the management of the university has promised that justice will be done in the case.

A statement on Thursday by the UNILORIN’s Deputy Director, Corporate Affairs, Mr. Kunle Akogun, said the matter was receiving serious attention from the authorities.

According to the statement, the school management had directed the dean of the faculty where the incident allegedly occurred to conduct proper investigation into the case.

It added that the faculty had concluded its investigation and submitted a report to the university’s disciplinary committee.

It said the report of the committee would soon be released, assuring all parties concerned that justice would be done.

The statement also confirmed PUNCH Metro’s Tuesday report that Idiagbon had been removed as the head of the Department of English.

It said, “For the avoidance of doubt, the University of Ilorin will not allow anybody that violates its rules and regulations to go scot-free

“However, in meting out appropriate sanctions against any offender, we always ensure that due process is strictly followed.

“In the meantime, the lecturer in question has been removed from his position as acting head of department pending the conclusion of investigations.”

source :punchng

I’m paying the price for talking too much before 2015 elections – Lai Mohammed

Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed has said that the only sin he committed against Nigerians was that he talked too much during the All Progressives Congress, APC, campaigns before the 2015 general elections.

This was part of his speech on Thursday at the ongoing inaugural town hall meeting of the holding in Abuja .

He said, “I believe that my only sin is talking too much before the elections and I now have to pay the price.”

“The first one was held in Lagos. Any meaningful assessment must be situated within the right context.

“We campaigned on three broad areas, corruption, revamp the economy and security. Have we met our targets? If you ask me, I will say we are on track.

“When we came in, many local governments in the north-east were under the control of Boko Haram. They hoisted their flags, they were even collecting taxes, but today not even a single local government is under the control of Boko Haram.

“We have been able to liberate 16,000 captors from the enclave of Boko Haram.”

The event, termed “Buharimeter” was organized by Centre for Democracy and Development and aimed at assessing the one year in office of President Buhari and his administration.

Other ministers at the event included Ministers of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, Environment, Amina Mohammed and Budget and National Planning, Udo Udoma .

source :http://dailypost.ng/

Wike begs militants to embrace dialogue.

The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has called on Niger-Delta militants to embrace dialogue as the blowing up of oil facilities is negatively affecting the nation’s economy.

According to a statement by Simeon Nwakaudu, Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor, Electronic MediaHe the governor also accused Nigerian Agip Oil Company of being responsible for some of the conflicts in the area, stating that should Agip continue to act against the security of the state, the state government will revoke the certificate of occupancy of the oil company.

The governor also stated that the destruction of oil installations also damage the environment which will negatively impact host communities.

He spoke at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Friday when he received the Ogba, Ndoni, Egbema Local Area (ONELGA ) Youths Consultative Council (OYCC). 

He said that should the oil production continue to drop, the nation will face crisis, hence the need for the restoration of peace through negotiation and dialogue. 

He said : “If the oil production continues to drop, this country will be in crisis. Blowing up oil facilities also has negative effect on our environment. There is need for the dialogue to go on.

“I believe in one united Nigeria and it is in our interest to have peace for development “.

Governor Wike added that the Niger Delta State Governors should be involved in the the process for the award of pipeline contracts for the identification of clean groups without links to cultists.

He commended the OYCC for promoting peace in ONELGA, which is the highest oil producing local government in the country. 

The governor assured the people of ONELGA that his administration will execute more development projects in the area. He added that the people also benefit from the the entrepreneurial loan scheme of his administration for small businesses.

Earlier, President of OYCC, Mr Kingsley Ogumike praised Governor Wike for executing developmental projects in the area and appointing indigenes of the area into key positions.

They appealed to the governor to always invest in the security of the local government area. He assured the governor of the support of the youths in the area.

source vanguard news

N-Delta wants to control its resources —AVENGERS.

Seeks support of Britain, France, US, China and EU Stakeholders sue for peace, insist on dialogue 

Tompolo has not fled anywhere—Akpodoro

 WARRI—THE Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, yesterday, said that the people of Niger Delta want to assume ownership of their resources, and urged the international community to support the quest. 

In the last two weeks, the Avengers had bombed pipelines in both Delta and Bayelsa states, forcing Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL, Nigerian Agip Oil Company, NAOC, and others to shut down operations.

 However, a member of the Delta State House of Assembly,  Daniel Yingi, national coordinator of  Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice, CEPEJ, Sheriff Mulade, and other stakeholders, cautioned the militants to embrace dialogue with government, while former chairman of Delta Waterways and Security Committee, DWSC, Warri, Chief Ayiri Emami, said criminality should be separated from agitation for resource control. 

Holding the country to ransom Meanwhile, 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 faulted the claim by Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force JNDLF, that ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, had fled the country to Libya, saying it was a red herring. 

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. 

Communal life and terror of poverty

“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. 

Military might

 “Rather than provide this justice the Nigerian government has decided to mobilize her military might to intimidate, torture, maim, victimize and bombard a section of the nation state and her citizenry to allow the free flow of our oil.

 “Some persons, groups, and commentators may ask what the people of Niger Delta want? We are not like some of these personalities who run champagne parties or turn Rivers State Government House into a house patrimony of godsons. They say the progress and success of a nation state is the reflection of her constitution that is not manufactured to favour some section and excludes the yearnings and aspirations of others; but the indwelling spiritual and historical development of its people.” 

Stakeholders insist on dialogue

 On its part, Mulade, said: “We commend the Federal Government for initiating the ceasefire in the creeks of Delta State after months of military onslaught against rampaging Niger Delta Avengers, NDA. “It is a welcome development, but government should not politicize the dialogue to be led by the National Security Advisers, critical stakeholders from the core oil producing communities should be included in the process, otherwise the impact would not trickle down to the grassroots,” the group said. 

Sensible decision— Okorotie Ex-Chief Whip in the Rivers State House of Assembly and chairman, Bayelsa Development Forum, Chief T.KO Okorotie, said:  “As far as I am concerned, it is a welcome development because the region has been under siege and it’s been a difficult situation. We have all been apprehensive for a long time now because we cannot afford any war at this time.” 

Dialogue with Avengers ’ll fail— Emami 

Chief Emami, however, said: “Dialogue will not work because the issue of criminality has not been separated, which is why they are emboldened to act the way they are acting. 

“Criminals must be treated like criminals, I hear the position of  governors of the South-South, excluding Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State  is that corruption charges be dropped across the region, particularly those on EFCC wanted list, if that is the case, how will the criminality stop.?” 

Avengers threatm empty— Akpodoro 

National President of the National Coalition of Niger Delta Ex-Agitators, Israel Akpodoro, who the Niger Delta Avengers had threatened to kill, some days ago, maintained, yesterday, that no group could hold him to ransom. Tompolo has not fled anywhere On the report by the Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force, JNDLF, that former militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, a.k.a Tompolo,  has fled the country, the Urhobo-born ex-war lord, said:  “Such deliberate falsehood is meant to mislead the Nigerian people and for the law enforcement agencies to divert attention from the Gbaramatu -born militant. “Tompolo is still in the country. This kind of falsehood was circulated when the former President Olusegun Obasanjo led government declared him wanted whereas Tompolo was in Agbarho all through that time while a section of the Nigerian media was used to spread falsehood on his whereabouts.”