* Warns Ag President Against Recognition Of Only Ijaw People
After several months of ceased fire, militant group, the Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate has thrown it’s weight behind the Federal Government call on relocation oil companies headquarters back to areas of operations in the region but however warned the acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo against the recognition and paying all attention to only the Ijaw youths in Delta State.
The group made its observations known in a statement signed by its spokesman, Aldo Agbalaja and made available to Newsmen saying that “It only makes sense for the farmer to dwell near his farm, we shall want to warn that your criminal practices that we have always resisted will be resisted more vigorously if you will not treat our people fairly. Give unto every community what is due to it, without imposing any group over another; Ijaw is not superior to other oil producing communities across the Niger Delta.
“During the period of our quietness a lot of things have happened that are forming parts of the reasons for our future line of actions. We have seen how the acting president goofed in his so-called interactions with Niger Delta stakeholders; we saw how he failed to see that the Niger Delta does not belong to just one set of people, how he continued in the error of those before him, gave all the attention to only Ijaw people, especially in Delta state.
“He started out on a faulty note, which if not corrected, will make the situation worse. Divide and rule will not work, if the people of the upland part of the region are not treated with same level of respect as those in the creeks, there will never be security for the oil assets you so much cherish.” the group threatened.
According to the Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate, it has chosen to be quiet all these weeks, to observe how things unfold in the region and to give the Nigerian government the benefit of doubt adding that the movement is not dead, neither is its spirit quelled, it is just in a process of repositioning for better impacts.
“While we watch we have observed the sensible steps being taken so far by the acting president, Yemi Osinbajo to convince the Niger Delta of his administration’s sincerity in finding genuine peace in our region. At least, he has shown some effort and is making an attempt, unlike his boss who has not hidden his disdain and disrespect for our people. However, we will want to advise the acting president to make good his promise to come out to discuss with the youths of this region.
“Youths of the upland area of the Niger Delta area looking forward to pouring their hearts out to him. While the High Command of the Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate is in agreement with government for directing oil companies to bring their headquarters back to our land. By now, all the oil companies operating in the upland areas should know that when we warn, we mean business, so the message to the incoming operators, like Heritage Oil is a call to caution.
“Don’t want to joke with us because we possess the capacity to do what we are intended to do and the legacy of ruins you are about to inherit are enough witness the last of which was the message passed by our gallant operatives on February 11th 2017: the Iyede-Opherin Delivery Line in Eriemu Field was brought down at about 1am of that day. Don’t joke with us. The Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate wants to use this medium to sound it loud and clear to the Nigerian forces of coercion that we are not intimidated or deterred by your undue aggression against our people.
“The spirit of this struggle is unbreakable and no amount of midnight raids and staged arrest of those perceived to be our operatives can stop this onslaught. this will only end when you and your allies who are bent on stealing our natural endowment without returns give back to our people what belongs to them. Lastly, the High Command of the Mandate will want to warn the oil companies to be wary of the jobbers coming to them in our name, claiming to have settled the Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate.
“Like we said earlier, we have been quiet because we needed to observe and properly coordinate for future activities, not because any person or group pocketed us. We are not in this for the money, hence we would have been involved in such criminal activities that some pseudo groups have been involved in, we rather do this for the love of our people and the preservation of our god-given land. Only a few, untainted grassroots leaders from our area will have our ears, but such persons are yet to even start featuring in the process of getting our land back for our people.” and therefore warned oil companies to stop wasting their resources on “These frauds and well known militant merchants.” the statement said.
