The Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force (JNDLF) has given reasons why it
shelved the planned missile strike in Abuja and other designated targets.
The group said President Mohammadu Buhari’s willingness to dialogue with
the militants and several appeals by the United States and other concerned
international interest groups informed its decision to halt the launch of
six missile strikes that would have taken place simultaneously.
A statement issued Friday by the group said the willingness of the Buhari
government to dialogue with the group and several appeals by the
international community was reason for the change of plans.
It, therefore, demanded the release of the detained leader of the
Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu and the former National
Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, as some of the conditions for a ceasefire
in the bombing campaign of pipelines and other oil and gas installation in
the Niger Delta.
The group also demanded the immediate clean up of oil spill areas in the
Niger Delta region, payment of compensation to all affected communities
and the defreezing of the bank accounts of Ex-militant leader, Government
Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo.
JNDLF warned its representatives including governors of the region against
betrayal in the negotiation process as the consequences would be dire and
added that there would be no further warning before commencement of
missile strikes, should President Buhari, whom it described as the
“pharaoh of Nigeria”, renege on any of the demands.
The statement……
: JOINT NIGER DELTA LIBERATION FORCE (JNDLF)
Why We Ceasefire on Our Earlier Missiles Launch
Press Statement
There is no gainsaying that we made our earlier promise to launch 6
Missiles simultaneously against some targeted areas. But this was
waved side as a result of Federal Government and some international
nations through email to us to open talks with Buhari.
We saw some genuine aspiration on the part of Pharaoh of Nigeria
(Buhari) who made several contacts to us to see reasons with them in
terms of under-development of the region. And since he (Buhari) had
set the ball rolling for a clear negotiation with us, there is no
problem without solution hence we ceasefire to negotiate with the
government if it is a true reflection of what they have in mind to
development the Niger Delta region.
We are not ready to negotiate with the federal government in terms of
monetary benefit to us but how genuinely the government can develop
the region is at the centre of our discussion, anything less than that
we will continue our struggle without further warning to the federal
government.
Our demands include:
1. Immediate release of the former National Security Adviser (NSA),
Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd.) and Dr. Nnamdi Kanu, whose releases was
pronounced by the court severally and their continue detention is
unconstitutional and against the tenet of our nascent democracy in the
country.
2. Direct EFCC to defreeze the bank accounts of ex-militant leader,
Government Ekpemupolo, (a.k.a. Tompolo)
3. The only Nigerian Maritime University sited in the most appropriate
and befitting place – Okerenkoko in Delta State, must start the
2015/2016 academic session immediately.
4. The immediate implementation of the report of the 2014 National
Conference report, failure of which Nigeria will forcefully break-up.
5. Oil-polluted lands in the Niger Delta must be cleaned up, while
compensation should be paid to all oil-producing communities, e.g.
Chevron fire outbreak of gas explosion in Koluama, Bayelsa state and
Bonga Oil Spill in 2011.
6. Removal of Brigadier General Paul Boroh (rtd.) as an Amnesty
Coordinator who is naïve about the programmes and policies and does
not know us to the grassroot. Hence he (Boroh) should be re-placing
with Dr. Felix Tuodolo who has been in the struggle of non-violence
since 1980 and the designer of the Amnesty programme, as this will
stall further vandalization of pipelines in the region.
7. Why all these attacks on oil and gas pipelines in the region is
that the Pharaoh of Nigeria (Buhari) made a childish statement that,
he will develop those areas that gave him 95% votes during his
presidential election last year. We the Niger Delta people only gave
him 5% hence we vowed that our oil money will not be use for the
development of any other region. The President should change his mind
set towards the region, if not this will continue.
We further thanked the American government and other international
nations through several email, in prevailing on us not to use Missiles
but to tow the part of coming into a round table discussion with the
federal government, we shall continue to engage in dialogue if our
demands are met. Our representatives for the dialogue especially the
Governors and others will not betray our demands with the federal
government. Any betrayal on their own part shall be viewed as betrayal
of the entire region and we shall go after them immediately as they
knows our mode of operation in which they will not escape from us. We
also thank our foreign partners who have gone back with their
chartered submarine vessel if these demands are not met as we have
ceasefire now, there will be NO further ultimatum to the Nigerian
government.
Signed:
For and on behalf of the Joint Revolutionary Council
GENERAL AKOTEBE DARIKORO (Commander, General Duties)
GENERAL TORUNANAOWEI LATEI (Creeks Network Coordinator)
GENERAL AGBAKAKURO OWEI-TAURO (Pipelines Bleeding Expert)
GENERAL PULOKIRI EBILADEI (Intelligence Bureau)