Niger Delta militants have issued an October 1
ultimatum for northerners to leave their region, in
response to the quit notice given to the Igbo by some
Arewa youth groups.

The militants also said the federal government should
hand over all oil blocs controlled by northerners to the
people of Niger Delta.

In a joint statement released on Friday, the coalition of
Niger Delta militants also said they will declare the
independence of the region on October 1.

A communiqué was signed to this effect by ‘General’
John Duku (Niger Delta Watchdogs and Convener:
Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators), ‘General’ Ekpo Ekpo
(Niger Delta Volunteers), ‘General’ Osarolor Nedam
(Niger Delta Warriors), and ‘Major-Gen.’ Henry Okon
Etete (Niger Delta Peoples Fighters), ‘Major-Gen.’
Asukwo Henshaw (Bakassi Freedom Fighters), ‘Major-
Gen.’ Ibinabo Horsfall (Niger Delta Movement for
Justice), ‘Major-Gen.’ Duke Emmanson (Niger Delta
Fighters Network), and ‘Major-Gen.’ Inibeghe Adams
(Niger Delta Freedom Mandate).

“A coalition of the Niger Delta militants met today in
Port Harcourt to review the recent call by the Arewa
Youths groups that the Ndigbo should vacate all the
Northern states within three months,” it read.

“We see the declaration by Arewa Youths as a
declaration which the northern elders, leaders, political
elite, security heads from the North and governors
were fully aware of .

“We demand 100 per cent control of our resources. We
demand that the Federal Government should hand
over all oil blocs owned by northerners to Niger Delta
indigenes. All the companies operating in such oil
blocs/wells should vacate within three months.”

The militants further said that the Nigeria National
Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) should be relocated to
the Niger Delta region.

“The Federal Government should immediately relocate
NNPC and all the offices that have to do with oil/gas
sector back to Niger Delta states and immediately
replace the Group Managing Director with an indigene
of Niger Delta,” the communique further read.

“All northern indigenes working in NNPC and any other
board that has anything to do with oil/gas should be
sacked with immediate effect.

“We demand an independent and sovereign Republic
of Niger Delta. We are tired of living with the North
under Nigeria. We are tired of the President’s
sentiments against the Niger Delta people.

“The President can have time to receive the Chibok
girls but could not have time to meet with the
representatives of the Niger Delta agitators. Our money
has been used to fund Boko Haram, a problem created
by the Northerners in order to use it as conduit pipe to
siphon the resources of Niger Delta.

“On October 1, 2017 we shall declare our
independence come rain, come shine. We shall take
our destiny in our hands and free ourselves from the
slavery of the North as they are tired of one Nigeria.

“From October 1, 2017, we don’t want to see any
northerner close to (the) Niger Delta; any attempt to
penetrate shall meet fierce resistance. This time, we
are not going to play defence, but attack.”

TheCable