Some Niger Delta militant groups under the Supreme Egbesu Freedom Fighters have backed the seven-day ultimatum given to President Muhammadu Buhari by Government Ekpomupolo, also known as Tompolo to constitute a substantive board for the NDDC.
Tompolo had in a statement on Sunday noted that the current scenario in which a sole administrator controls the affairs of the NDDC is no longer acceptable to the stakeholders.
He, therefore, called on President Buhari, members of the National Assembly and all others concerned to ensure a substantive board is set up within the given time frame or he will embark on destructive activities that will target crude oil exploration and exploitation activities in the Niger Delta region.
He explained that the running of the NDDC by a sole administrator at the instance of the Minister of Niger Delta, Senator Godswill Akpabio is unacceptable and anti-development.
Reacting in a statement at the end of an emergency meeting conveyed by the Commanding officer, Major General Agadagba 1 Obus, also known as Thunder, the group declared their readiness to form an alliance with the umbrella body of Ijaw Youths Council (IYC).
The Supreme Egbesu Freedom Fighters threatened to shut down major oil exploration flow stations and oil wells in the area.
He said, “We will have no choice but to join hands with all other forces with the Ijaw Youth Council and other agitating militant groups in the creeks to shut down oil exploration activities on all flow stations in the region.
“We have identified targets to include the Escravos-Warri to Kaduna NNPC major delivery crude line, the Escravos Lagos atlas cove delivery line and the Trans Escravos Warri Kaduna gas line that supply electricity to Abuja will not be spared and there will be no gas supply for electricity in Abuja, Lagos Kaduna and the Northern part of the country also the Trans Forcados 48- inches terminal underwater shell/NNPC crude delivery pipeline with most of the Chevron RMP24 Clough creek line will all be brought to stand still in the wake of this 7 days ultrasound.
“On this note, the Supreme Egbesu Freedom Fighters group and the other agitating militant groups in the creek urged the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC (All Progressives Congress) federal government, as a matter of security concern and for the interest of peace and economic stability immediately call the minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr Godswill Akpabio and his cohorts to lay off their hands and let the presidency quickly call for the inauguration of the NDDC board without any further delay for the interest of peace in the Niger Delta region and for the overall interest of the country.
“And if Akpabio and gang of corrupt-minded fellows of cronies refuse to yield to this noble piece of advice and still go against the common interest of the Niger Delta people and decide to continue to hold the entire Niger Delta region to ransom and refuse to let go of the grid of refusal and opposed to the inauguration of the NDDC board which means whatever that will be the fall out of this in the creek on before the expiration of this fresh one week ultimatum in alliance with the Tompolo one week declaration, this will lead to shutting down of this major crude flow stations and NNPC major crude oil delivery pipelines in the specific targeted locations in the creek then SEFFM should to be blamed rather all the blames and the economic woes should be channelled to Mr Akpabio and his fellow corrupt minded cronies at the presidency.
“The presidency and the federal government should hold Akpabio, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and his cousin, the sole Administrator of the NDDC, Mr Effiong Akwa responsible and therefore whatever that befalls in the creek of the region, the supreme Egbesu Freedom Fighters and the other agitating militant groups should not be held responsible.”
The article was originally published on Nigeria News