A new coalition of 36 militant groups under the aegis of Continuous Emancipation of Niger Delta, which recently attacked gas and crude oil pipelines in Bayelsa State, on Friday reeled out six demands for the Federal Government which they said should be quickly handled to avert continued “destructive attacks” on oil and gas facilities in the country.
The demands, contained in an electronic mail by CEND’s General Officer Commanding, ‘General’ River Lord (aka Adaka Bor), and obtained by journalists in Warri, had virtually all the seven-point demands of South-South governors and leaders as presented to the Federal Government’s delegation on Tuesday in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State.
The only addition is the demand by CEND that the Federal Government should henceforth pay the 13 per cent derivation directly to oil and gas producing communities.
CEND in its demands called for the relocation of the headquarters of all oil and gas companies operating in the Niger Delta to the region, as well as the demilitarisation of the entire Niger Delta. It also called for fiscal and true federalism.
Other demands of CEND are “the repositioning of the Niger Delta Development Commission, and the Presidential Amnesty Programme, in line with its core mandate and community participation.”
Among those in the coalition spread across the region are Supreme Egbesu Resource Fighters, Niger Delta Resource Control Force, Emancipation of Niger Delta, Reformed Movement for Emancipation of the Niger Delta, Niger Delta Adaka Boro Force for Resource Control, and Niger Delta Joint Task Force.
The group said, “The new coalition of 36 militant groups, Continuous Emancipation for the Niger Delta, has made bold its threat to carry out destructive attacks on oil and gas facilities across the Niger Delta region,” even as the group has claimed responsibility for the bombing of gas and crude oil pipelines in Ikarama community in Yenagoa Council Area of Bayelsa State.”
Culled from Punch
