Niger Delta militants threaten to plunge Nigeria into another recession

The Reformed Niger Delta Avengers, RNDA, in coalition with nine other militant groups, last night vowed to plunge Nigeria into another economic recession if urgent steps were not taken to address issues facing the region.
The militants said they would resume attacks that will further deepen the nation’s woes if the Nigerian government continued to explore oil from their region without developing it.

RNDA in a statement by its convener and self-acclaimed “Major General” John Mark Ezonbi, also announced the lifting of the suspension placed on former Federal Commissioner for Information and leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, Chief Edwin Clark.
Ezonbi said, “Nigerians should not celebrate the Federal Government’s claim that the nation had come out recession because it is too early as RNDA in coalition with other militant groups is ready to resume fresh attacks on oil installations across the region in a well-coordinated attack that will further deepen the nation’s economic woes judging from the fact that one of the indices used in measuring Nigeria’s outage from recession was crude oil.
“The Federal Government should not take the two week ultimatum that is still counting, which we earlier issued to convey a fresh talk with the Pan Niger Delta People’s Congress, PNDPC, headed by the paramount ruler of Seimbiri Kingdom, HM Pere Charles Ayemi Botu for granted and should blame itself for any harm done to oil facilities in the Niger Delta at the expiration of the ultimatum.
“RNDA in coalition with nine other militant groups, led by Major General John Mark Ezonbi at a crucial meeting held at the creeks of Benin River expressed its readiness to carry out its threat to bring down crude oil productions to zero level, which accompanied its ultimatum to the Federal Government.‎

“RNDA has withdrawn the one- week ultimatum given to the leader of the disbanded PANDEF leader, Chief E K Clark and one Alfred Mulade, self- styled Coordinating Secretary of PANDEF, following pleas from well- respected stakeholders since they failed to come out to state categorically the militants that gave them the mandate to dialogue on behalf of the region.”
“Nobody apologized to Clark as insinuated by Mulade in a national daily, rather it is Clark that has called different people and begging them to support his disbanded leadership of PANDEF,” the militants said.
“We wish to emphasize that Obong Victor Attah, former Governor of Akwa Ibom State has lost touch with reality in the region, and he is supposed to be hiding his face in shame for mismanaging the resources of the state under his eight years miserable rule, despite the huge federal allocations.
“It was Senator Godswill Akpabio who turned Akwa state around in terms of development; somebody like Attah should not have the temerity to dialogue for the region under any guise when he had the instrument of government to turn Akwa Ibom to paradise, but he did not.

“It is only a matter of time they will all pay for their sins against the Niger Delta region, Attah and those old brigade in PANDEF misused resources earmarked for the development of the region when they occupied the offices since the early 70s that would have added value to the face of the long neglected region more so PANDEF is no longer the authentic voice to speak for the region but PNDPC,” they said.