Ceasefire: Niger Delta Avengers want independent mediators

14-06-2016 

Militants under the ae­gis of the Niger Del­ta Avengers (NDA) have said they only dialogue with the Federal Government if they were assured of a con­ducive atmosphere.

In a statement issued by its spokesperson, Mudoch Ag­binibo, the group said that it was yet to agree to a ceasefire to pave way for a dialogue, due to the insincerity of the Feder­al Government.

Agbinibo said: “The high command of the Niger Del­ta Avengers (NDA) is using this medium to restate that there are no new items to put on the table for dialogue; we only want a genuine attitude and conducive atmosphere that will make us commit to any proposed dialogue and lasting peace talk.

“We want the Feder­al Government to commit member-states of the multi­national oil corporations to pledge independent media­tors to this proposed dialogue; we believe that only such an environment will engender genuine dialogue that will be aimed at setting up a frame­work for achieving the short, medium and long-term de­mands of the Niger Delta to de-escalate this conflict and bring about lasting peace.”

The militants warned in­ternational oil companies and refinery operators to stay away from the region, saying: “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 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 piece of advice, it will result to the sinking of two of their mother vessels as an example to others. They should not undertake any repair of pipe­lines; oil and gas facilities that are damaged or attacked by our forces during this period of “Operation Red Economy” until and/or after the dialogue.

“We are using this medi­um to warn and condemn the activities of all brands of social media agitators being peddled around by some pol­iticians to promote their crim­inal ways in the affairs of the Niger Delta.

“This genuine spirit be­hind our struggle for the Ni­ger Delta cannot be derailed on the basis of connivance by politicians, traditional rulers, settled ex-agitators and crim­inals moving around to fill their pockets.

“The issues of the Niger Delta are as old and as new as the days of Pa Dappa Biri­ye, Major Jasper Isaac Adaka Boro, to Ken Saro-Wiwa and the government of President Musa Yar’Adua,” the group added.

It warned the Federal Government not to turn the essence of genuine peace talk and dialogue to the prevail­ing political jamboree where all manner of social media agitators and criminals have being sponsored by the job-seeking corrupt political class to save their faces before the government.

“Finally, 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 repairs and suspend the buying of crude from our region as we await the right atmosphere that will engender genuine dialogue. We want peace with honour, not peace of our time”, NDA said.