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Buhari says Niger Delta militant threats “unnecessary”
By Modupe Shodeinde
President Muhammadu Buhari, says the threat by the militant group, Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) is unnecessary since he has responded to their demand.
A statement signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity Femi Adesina, states that it was “curious that the threat was coming less than 48 hours after President Muhammadu Buhari met with the leadership of the Niger Delta and Ijaw National Congress (INC), at the Presidential Villa, and the germane issues had been responded to, especially call for restructuring of the Federation, and the inauguration of a Board for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).”
Lagos Street Journal had reported that Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), had threatened to return with ‘Operation Humble,’ which is similar to its ‘Operation Red’ of 2016, designed to destroy oil installations.
In a statement released on its website on Saturday, the militant group had threatened to crash the country’s economy and send it into a permanent recession.
“This mission is also targeted at political actors collaborating with the Nigerian government to undermine interest of the Niger Delta people.” it said.
The group had bemoaned the fact that the region has remained neglected despite its rich resources, stressing that its fresh violent onslaught against oil installations will shake the economy.
However, Adesina described the “sabre-rattling” as “rather unnecessary”. He reproduced the full text of Buhari’s speech when he met with leaders of the region on Friday.
It partly reads: “I particularly note your ten-point demand to the Federal Government in your inaugural speech and assure you that this administration is frontally addressing them.
“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.”
