The Niger Delta Avengers on Monday said it was ready for a dialogue with the Federal Government. The militants, however, gave conditions for the peace talk. In a statement published on its website, the group said the Federal Government must suspend the purchase of crude oil from the Niger Delta region.The militants also asked President Muhammadu Buhari not to turn the proposed peace talk and dialogue to a political jamboree.
The group said it only needed a genuine attitude and conducive atmosphere that would “make us commit to any proposed dialogue and lasting peace talk.”
In the statement signed by the NDA’s spokesperson, Mudoch Agbinibo, the militants also asked the Federal Government to involve member states of the multinational oil corporations to commit independent mediators to the proposed dialogue.
It said the peace talk would set up a framework for achieving the short, medium and long-term demands of the Niger Delta to bring about a lasting peace.
The statement partly read, “If need be, we may review our earlier stance of not taking lives. We are going to redirect and reactivate all our activities if the government, oil companies and their services firms don’t heed to these modest warnings of not carrying out any repair works and suspend the buying of crude oil from our region as we await the right atmosphere that would engender genuine dialogue.
“The NDA high command is restating our commitment to attack the interest of oil corporations and international refineries operators that bring in vessels to the Niger Delta territory to buy our oil that every successive government has refused to use and reapply the proceeds towards any development in the region since 1958.
“If they refuse to heed our advice, it would result to the sinking of two of their mother vessels as examples to others. They should not undertake any repair of the pipeline, oil and gas facilities that is damaged or attacked by our forces during this period of “Operation Red Economy” until and after the dialogue.”
Meanwhile, a prominent Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, has warned a former Governor of Nasarawa State, Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu, to desist from ridiculing and discrediting him and other Niger Delta leaders.
The nonagenarian specifically told Adamu to stop spreading falsehood and accusing him of not showing concern following the emergence of the Niger Delta Avengers.
Clark said as a father, he had played his roles towards the maintenance of peace in the zone.
Clark, in a statement by his Legal Adviser, Mr. Dotun Sowemimo, on Monday in Abuja, faulted the claim, saying he had on many occasions cautioned the militants.
He, however, called on the NDA members and other groups to stop all activities that were inimical to the pipeline and oil facilities in the Niger Delta and embrace dialogue.
“Chief Clark is, once again, using this medium to call on the Niger Delta Avengers and other groups to stop all activities inimical to the pipeline and oil facilities in the Niger Delta and embrace the three weeks ceasefire offered by this administration to embrace dialogue.” Sowemimo stated.
According to him, Adamu lied by accusing Clark of showing lackadaisical attitude in stopping the militants from bombing oil installations.
Sowemimo recalled that Clark on May 17, 2016, strongly called and appealed on the Niger Delta Avengers and any other groups of like mind, to desist, forthwith from their activities and embrace dialogue as the best means of having their grievances assuaged.
According to him, Clark reiterated his support for the anti-corruption war of President Muhammadu Buhari, when he insisted that it should be fought to the end.
PUNCH