Itsekiri Group accuses past and present South-South Governors of conniving with militants
Wed Jun 15, 2016 11:35:am Politics
2.5K By Buchi Obichie
Some present and former Niger Delta Governors were yesterday accused of working hand-in-hand with militants to wreak havoc in the region, so as to avoid criminal convictions.
This accusation was made by the Itsekiri ethnic nationality in Delta State, under the Warri Study Group (WSG) umbrella, who stated that the Governors connived with the militants secretly, and then openly called on the Federal Government to dialogue and drop criminal charges leveled against them. Chairman of Warri Study Group, which is the intellectual arm of the Itsekiri nation, Mr. Edward Ekpoko, who made the allegation in a statement, urged the Federal Government not to dialogue with Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, or any other militant group.
"Politicians, including an ex-governor of Delta State and militants have continued to use this neglect to blackmail the Federal Government as a reason for the renewed crisis. But who is to be held responsible?"
According to the statement: "Politicians, especially some Governors (both serving and former) and their cronies from the Niger Delta are hands in glove with the militants and are openly and secretly advocating dialogue with them so as to (through them) have criminal charges against them dropped.
"The militants are well known to some of them (Governors) to the knowledge of Niger Deltans. Government should keep them under watch. Let us get it right: who are the Avengers? Tompolo has denied them, but do we believe him when they want his account de-frozen? MEND has denied them, they are used by those who created them.
"To dialogue with them is tantamount to open discussion with corrupt politicians from the region that have forced the pathetic conditions of life that now pervade the Niger Delta. All they want is to bargain themselves from investigation and trial," the group said.
On the attacks, WSG said: "We have watched with consternation the renewed violence in the Niger Delta by the Niger Delta Avengers and its affiliates such as Joint Niger Delta Liberation Front, JNDL. Their criminal acts and violence have left in their trail vandalized oil and gas pipelines, other installations and killing of military personnel deployed to guard these facilities.
"Neither the Niger Delta Avengers nor the Joint Niger Delta Liberation Front has clear agenda. Their incoherent agenda ranged from the desire to cripple the Nigerian economy; unconditional release of Kanu, of the Independent People of Biafra, IPOB, (now standing trial in court for treason) resource control, resumption of academic activities at the Maritime University, Okerenkoko in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State to defreezing of Tompolo's account. How awkward."
This accusation was made by the Itsekiri ethnic nationality in Delta State, under the Warri Study Group (WSG) umbrella, who stated that the Governors connived with the militants secretly, and then openly called on the Federal Government to dialogue and drop criminal charges leveled against them. Chairman of Warri Study Group, which is the intellectual arm of the Itsekiri nation, Mr. Edward Ekpoko, who made the allegation in a statement, urged the Federal Government not to dialogue with Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, or any other militant group.
"Politicians, including an ex-governor of Delta State and militants have continued to use this neglect to blackmail the Federal Government as a reason for the renewed crisis. But who is to be held responsible?"
According to the statement: "Politicians, especially some Governors (both serving and former) and their cronies from the Niger Delta are hands in glove with the militants and are openly and secretly advocating dialogue with them so as to (through them) have criminal charges against them dropped.
"The militants are well known to some of them (Governors) to the knowledge of Niger Deltans. Government should keep them under watch. Let us get it right: who are the Avengers? Tompolo has denied them, but do we believe him when they want his account de-frozen? MEND has denied them, they are used by those who created them.
"To dialogue with them is tantamount to open discussion with corrupt politicians from the region that have forced the pathetic conditions of life that now pervade the Niger Delta. All they want is to bargain themselves from investigation and trial," the group said.
On the attacks, WSG said: "We have watched with consternation the renewed violence in the Niger Delta by the Niger Delta Avengers and its affiliates such as Joint Niger Delta Liberation Front, JNDL. Their criminal acts and violence have left in their trail vandalized oil and gas pipelines, other installations and killing of military personnel deployed to guard these facilities.
"Neither the Niger Delta Avengers nor the Joint Niger Delta Liberation Front has clear agenda. Their incoherent agenda ranged from the desire to cripple the Nigerian economy; unconditional release of Kanu, of the Independent People of Biafra, IPOB, (now standing trial in court for treason) resource control, resumption of academic activities at the Maritime University, Okerenkoko in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State to defreezing of Tompolo's account. How awkward."
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