Tension in the Land as Niger Delta Militants Demand 11 Things from the Governments (SEE LIST)

Militant groups from the nine states of the Niger Delta, who vowed to resume hostilities in support of the #EndSARS protests last Monday, sparked new concerns over the weekend when they presented their 11 new demands to be met by the federal government.

The leader of the militants under the auspices of the Reformed Avengers of the Niger Delta (RNDA), self-proclaimed "Major General" Johnmark Ezonebi, said in an email statement that the coalition had instructed multinational oil companies to evacuate their workers in order to avoid human causalities.

RNDA stated, “In support of the ongoing demands of the #EndSARS protesters, we have added our own new demands to stop the chaos of foreign oil multinationals, oil and gas infrastructures and the joint military task force involved in Operation Crocodile Smile in the region could.”

We have vowed to take the fate of our States in our own hands and to begin the work of all major oil wells and oil platforms. We will also reduce all major pipelines for crude oil production to zero," he added.

1. First, the RNDA's request is: "Urgent release of the N98 billion gas flare penalty fund to the Niger Delta host communities, which are funds held by International Oil through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

In the Federation's accounts Companies (IOCs) are domiciled as compensation for the communities that are affected in the streams of the Niger Delta due to their pollution and environmental hazards, the multinational oil companies have caused."

 Recalling that sometime in 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari's administration withdrew $ 1 billion from surplus crude oil to purchase heavy weapons to combat the insurgents of Boko Haram in the north eastern part of the country.

"This is nasty and insensitive to that with the people in the Niger Delta region, especially the militant RNDA group that accepted the terms to lay down their weapons on August 21, 2016, and so far nothing has been done."

2. "Second, we want full control of our God-given resources in the States. With some parts of the northern states allowed to operate and license to illegally mine and sell gold.

It will be time the people of the Niger Delta region, especially the Ijaw ethnic nationality, were given equal opportunities with artisanal and local Refining crude oil in the streams without any intimidation or harassment from the Nigerian government."

3. "Thirdly, the RNDA calls for river basins in the Niger Delta to be connected to the cities with roads and bridges, which are planned in the 2021 budget. 

For example, a road project was to connect Warri to Ogulagha, the area owned by the local government of Burutu, where the Forcardos Terminal is located. It produces over a million barrels of crude oil that delivers trillions of dollars to the federal government every day."

4. "Fourth, the proposed 2021 budget that provided billions of naira to Niger Delta Affairs Minister Senator Godswill Akpabio and the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC should be withdrawn and postponed.

And the Niger Delta Minister Minister The proposed budget may only be defended once the content-related board of directors of the NDDC has been inaugurated and sworn in by President Muhammadu Buhari."

5. "We also request that Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio be tasked to set up a small town hall meeting with traditional rulers, interest groups and the leadership of the militant RNDA group in the Creek.

To show real intent that the budget proposal does not result in the misappropriation and diversion of billions to Akpabio and the pockets of his friends with no tangible and practical development in the streams of the region."

6. “And we also demanding the immediate start and reopening of the seaport Burutu by the federal government, which should be included in the 2021 budget."

7. "More importantly to the militant RNDA group, we are calling for an quick and immediately review of the Revenue Allocation Act to properly interpret and explain the 13% derivative funds that will not be placed in the hands of the so-called inhuman evil corrupt governors of the Niger Delta.

Which have been Pocketing billions of naira monthly from the Federation's allocation account without getting to the oil producing communities in the Niger Delta streams and without being accountable to the long neglected emancipated oil producing communities, whose original owners are the 13 percent derivation funds under Section 162 Subsection 2 of the 1991 Constitution, as amended."

8. “So we are demanding the Federation Attorney General to interpret this law for us in relation to the country's chief law officer because the people of the oil producing communities in the Niger Delta are fed up with the ongoing man-made injustice caused by Inhuman and Corrupt Governors in the Niger Delta."

 9. “We have also demanded for an immediate review of the four-point agreement with the host communities of Nigeria (HOSTCOM) that was presented to the federal government by the national chairman, Prince Mike Emuh, and has not yet been approved. 

The terms of the agreement, which include 10,000 pipeline monitoring jobs for the oil producing communities by HOSTCOM's leadership, have not been approved."

10. “Therefore, the RNDA is calling for a pipeline safety mandate to take in the reformed Niger Delta Avengers group members who are more than 5,000 in the creek and we will no longer allow this to happen in the creek, or we will will dismantle all pipelines in our creek within the set time of the ultimatum".

 11. “In addition, we demand the release of the 10 licenses for modular refineries in the Niger Delta, which the federal government has not yet approved.

The federal board, however, approves billions and trillions every week in the presidency by selling our crude oil to $ 1.86 million to $ 2.2 million barrels daily with no tangible, "the militants said.