*Says it won’t honour terms of ceasefire with FG
Oscarline Onwuemenyi
22 December 2017, Sweetcrude, Abuja – In the aftermath of the December 15 resolution by the National Economic Council (NEC) to withdraw $1 billion from the Excess Crude Account (ECA), purportedly to fight Boko Haram insurgents in the North East of the country, militants in the Niger Delta region have issued a four-week ultimatum to the Federal government demanding it withdraws $1 billion to develop the region, failing which they will resume bombings of pipelines in the country.
The militants acting under the aegis of Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA) described the plan as insensitive and designed to ridicule the Niger Delta.
In a statement signed by ‘Major General’ Johnmark Ezonbi and made available to the media on Thursday, the group threatened to ensure a total destruction of oil facilities in the region to ensure there is no oil revenue to finance the 2018 budget if their demands were not met.
The group accused the Federal government of applying double standards in tackling security issues in the country, adding that the government had reneged on the agreement reached with the group.
The group said it would no longer honour the terms of the ceasefire agreement reached with the Federal Government.
The statement read in part, “Through the ceasefire, the country is enjoying daily crude oil production of between 2.2 and 2.4 million barrels of crude oil production which amount to billions of naira daily for the Federal Government.
“It also helped the country to get out of recession. So, the government should not take our patience and silence for granted.
“We want to state categorically that the President Muhammadu Buhari–led Federal Government is insensitive and practically negating the principles of natural justice by using resources derived from a neglected region to combat insurgency in the North East in the senseless Boko Haram war to the tune of $1 billion from the ECA.
According to the RNDA, “Why not access the fund from the excess account from the sale of agriculture products in the northern part of the country? Why must it be from the creeks of the Niger Delta?
“The Federal Government’s insensitivity to the Niger Delta development has obviously reached its crescendo. We will not take this but resist with our might. This broad daylight robbery against the Niger Delta people will not be accepted by us. We are going to resist this perpetual injustice against our long-neglected people in the region.”
The group equally advised foreign oil workers to vacate the region before the expiration of the four-week ultimatum to avoid becoming victims.
