Buhari Reacts To Niger Delta Avengers’ Threat

President Muhammadu Buhari has reacted to the threat by the Niger Delta Avengers to resume attacks on oil installations in the South-South.

Gatekeepers News reports that Buhari on Sunday said the threat was ‘unnecessary’ as the government is already working on their demands.

The President, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity Femi Adesina, noted that the Avengers’ threat was curious because it came barely 48 hours after Buhari met with the leadership of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) and other leaders of the Niger Delta region.

He stated that issues concerning restructuring and the inauguration of a board for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) had already been addressed.

Gatekeepers News reports that the Avengers had on Saturday threatened to embark on economic sabotage through the bombing of critical oil and gas installations unless certain demands, including the development of the Niger Delta and restructuring of the country, were met.

“This operation shall be coded ‘Operation Humble’ aimed at bringing down targeted oil installations in the Niger Delta capable of humbling the economy into permanent recession. This mission is also targeted at political actors, who are collaborating with the Nigerian government to undermine the interest of the Niger Delta people.

“There is no doubt that the Nigerian Government has continued to pay deaf ears to our demands and the rising challenges in the country because the pipelines that crisscross our lands are left untouched, allowing dollars to flow into the federal treasury on a daily basis for mismanagement.

“We shall spare no single oil installation within our range of strategic targets marked for destruction in the coming days and we bet the Nigerian government will be humbled to return to the drawing board and chart an all-inclusive course by the time we are done with our action plan,” the Avengers warned in the statement.

Adesina quoted Buhari at the meeting with the INC to have said: “I am equally concerned about the rate of environmental degradation in the Niger Delta and as you are aware the HydroCarbon Pollution Remediation Project has started work with remediation efforts in Ogoni land and I have directed the Minister of Environment to ensure that the projects are implemented with a high percentage of local content and inclusion of the surrounding communities.

The President said the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency was working hard to ensure that oil spills are reduced and new ones prevented, noting that demands for restructuring are being handled by the National Assembly.

“In addressing your call for immediate restructuring, the National Assembly whose responsibility it is to ensure that our constitution responds to the call for a restructured Nigeria, has already concluded regional consultations and as soon as they finalise the process, necessary action would not be delayed on my part.

“On the issue of fair and balanced appointments to reflect federal character principles, I re-affirm that this has always been my focus and would continue to be because I have always seen Nigeria as a country where everyone should be given equal opportunities.

“I want to assure you that as soon as the forensic audit report is submitted and accepted, the NDDC Board would be inaugurated. However, I would like to implore you that the Ijaw National Congress should play a more active role in making sure that the mismanagement that occurred in the past is not repeated.”