Date Published: 08/07/09

Fresh radical group emerges in Niger Delta, sets for political war

A SEEMING new left wing socio-cultural and political movement has emerged in the volatile Niger Delta, Nigeria's main oil and gas region. The new group which calls itself Niger Delta Patriotic Front (NDPF) says it is determined to purge the oil region of criminal elements who are giving the struggle for justice a bad name.

The group rose from a prolonged meeting which streched from Thursday to the early hours of Friday in the outskirt of Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, with a resolution that the game was up for all those who have been profiting negatively from the crisis in the Niger Delta.

Our correspondent who was allowed into the meeting as an observer reports that some of the active social formations in the oil region that attended the Port Harcourt meeting expressed dismay at the activities of unnamed criminal elements operating as activists of the justice movement of the region.

The meeting also resolved that their operatives will take keen interest in he activities of government functionaries at all levels of government in the volatile oil region. According to them,"states of the Niger Delta are also to blame for the current situation in the oil communities. "

Frontline Ijaw activist, Mr. Dan Anderson, who was unanimously chosen to pilot the affairs of the new group as its Central Coordinator, said in his acceptance speech that they were determined to purge the Niger Delta struggle of all black legs and fifth columnists.

He claimed that the new group was out to reposition the struggle in the oil region as well as give it a political bite. Anderson said they will not rule out the use of militancy if thre authorities fail to yield to the political approach in resolving the conflict in the area.

Continuing, he said the core issues in their quest for justice remain resource control and ownership, social, economic, political and environmental justice.

In the mean time, the aims and objectives of the new group is as follows, defending and protecting the rights of the peoples of the Niger Delta, creating harmony, unity and peace among the peoples of the region and their neighbours,  preserving the cultural heritage of the people, and to pursue economic and political empowerment of the peoples of the oil region as well as seek to cooperate with other ethnic nationalities within and outside Nigeria who support their cause for justice.