N’Delta Militants Demand Oil Control, Threaten Attack On Facilities

Tension continues to escalate as Niger Delta militants, under the auspices of Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA), has demanded total control of oil resources from the region. The group also threatened to commence attacks on oil facilities across the oil rich region if the federal government failed to meet their demands as well as the list of conditions presented by the #endsars protesters in Nigeria.

RNDA’s self-styled leader, Major General, Johnmark Ezonebi, in an electronic mail statement, said the coalition had directed multinational oil companies to evacuate their staff to avoid any causality, warning that failure might portend terrible situation that will be worse than #endsars protests in Nigeria.


“In support of the existing demands that could stop the mayhem on foreign oil multinationals, oil and gas infrastructure and Joint Military Taskforce involved in Operation Crocodile Smile in the region. We have vowed to take the destiny of our region into our hands and kick start the occupation of all the major oil wells and the platforms. We will also bring down all major crude oil production pipelines to zero.”

RNDA had demanded urgent release of the N98 billion gas flare penalty funds to the host communities of the Niger Delta which they said was domiciled in the Federation Accounts through the Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN) by the international oil companies.



The groups recalled that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration withdrew $1billion from the Excess Crude Account sometime in 2019 to acquire heavy weapons to fight Boko Haram insurgents in the North East. “This is wicked and insensitive to the peace accord signed with the people of the Niger Delta region, most especially the RNDA militant group that accepted the ceasefire agreement on 21st of August 2016 and nothing has been done so far,” it said.

“We demand the total control of our God-given resources in the region, and if some parts of the Northern states are allowed to operate and will be given license to engage in illegal mining and sale of gold, it means it is time the people of Niger Delta region especially the Ijaw ethnic nationality be given equal opportunity to go ahead with artisan and local refining of crude oil in the creeks without any form of intimidation and harassment from the Nigerian government as well.

“RNDA demands that the riverine communities in Niger Delta be connected to the cities with roads and bridges with provisions in the 2021 budget, a road project for instance, should connect Warri to Ogulagha, Burutu local government area which is a host to Forcados Terminal, producing over one million barrel of crude oil that contribute trillions of dollars to the federal government on daily basis.

But, in a swift reaction, Delta state deputy Governor, Barr Kingsley Burutu Otuaro said that the country cannot afford to face another crisis considering the poor economy in Nigeria.

Otuaro appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to find a way forward with a view to ensuring that peaceful coexistence prevails. “We cannot afford to be facing another crisis considering the poor economy and I urge President Muhammadu Buhari to step into the demands of the militants under different groups and provide for them.”

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