A suspected member of a newly established militant group in Nigeria has
\nwarned the life of President Muhammadu Buhari is in danger if he visits
\nthe oil-rich Niger Delta region. In a recording sent to IBTimes UK, a man
\nis heard saying during a phone conversation with one of the hosts of
\nUK-based Radio Biafra, that Buhari “should sign his death warrant” before
\nhis visit.<\/p>\n
Buhari is due to visit some states in south-eastern Nigeria to discuss
\nwith local leaders ways to tackle renewed violence in the area.<\/p>\n
The president’s planned visit \u2013 which is expected to begin on Thursday (2
\nJune 2016) \u2013 comes as attacks on oil pipelines blamed on the new group
\nNiger Delta Avengers (NDA) partially halted oil production, and forced
\nChevron and Royal Dutch Shell to close at least two plants.
\n“Buhari is trying to visit Ogoniland, but he should sign his death warrant
\nbefore coming to Port Harcourt or try to visit any state of the Niger
\nDelta community, Biafra land,” the suspected NDA member said during the
\nphone call.<\/p>\n
“We are starting a dance he cannot finish. We shall dance like vultures.
\nHe [Buhari] has dared to wake a sleeping lion, but I promise him this time
\naround if he tries to step his foot in any community of the Niger Delta,
\nin Biafraland, he will not go back alive. Any Niger Deltan who will try to
\nwalk with Buhari shall also go to his grave that day. This is our
\nassurance.”
\nman also condemned the fact that Nigerian security forces opened fire on
\npro-Biafran demonstrators during commemorations to pay homage to the
\nvictims of the 1967-1970 Nigerian Civil War, also known as Biafran War, on
\nMonday (30 May 2016). Police confirmed the deaths of 10 protesters and two
\npolice officers during clashes in Anambra state, claiming demonstrators
\nwere armed. Pro-Biafrans denied the allegations.<\/p>\n
“The Nigerian government shot and killed our brothers. They showed us are
\nthe monsters,” the man said. He then urged all pro-Biafrans to pray for
\ntheir leader Nnamdi Kanu \u2013 director of radio Biafra and leader of the
\nIndigenous People of Biafra [IPOB] \u2013 who is standing trial on six counts
\nof treasonable felony charges.<\/p>\n
Buhari ‘can go wherever he wants’<\/p>\n
Brigadier General Rabe Abubakar, Nigeria’s director of defence
\ninformation, told IBTimes UK the government does not perceive NDA as a
\nthreat. “Niger Delta is part of Nigeria and will remain part of Nigeria
\nfor life. Buhari is the president, he is number one, he can go anywhere he
\nwants,” he said.<\/p>\n
“[The] NDA are just criminals and we are treating them as criminals. We
\nare not being intimidated, we remain focussed to ensure security in the
\ncountry and that Nigeria remains one. Nobody is above the interest of the
\ncountry,” he continued.<\/p>\n
“No nation can tolerate an individual group causing havoc and advocating
\nfor separation. There are measures in our constitution to ensure this will
\nnot happen. We cannot and will not tolerate what these people are doing.
\nIn the long run, they will surely pay for they have done.”<\/p>\n
Biafrans<\/p>\n
Pro-Biafrans are demanding the independence of Biafran territories
\nforcibly annexed to Nigeria during British colonisation, which ended in
\n1960.<\/p>\n
Intelligence consultant David Otto believes NDA also has secessionist
\nviews, and this can explain their support for the Biafra cause. “The
\nAvengers could be that official military wing that IPOB and the Movement
\nfor the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (Massob) never
\nhad,” he said.
\n“The direct threat to the life of the President may not be substantiated,
\nbut it is bold move for the Avengers. On the other hand, NDA could be
\nteasing the government security services to overreact with more brute
\nforce \u2013 a move that will galvanise more hatred and distrust. These are
\nsigns of future uncertainty in the region \u2013 but how the government reacts
\nwill be key to peace or further chaos,” Otto, who is the CEO of UK-based
\nglobal security provider TGS Intelligence Consultants, continued.<\/p>\n
“Some prominent ex militants of the Niger Delta region promised hell if
\ntheir brother, then President Goodluck Jonathan, did not win the 2015
\nelection. We are now seeing those threats manifesting in various shapes
\nand sizes in the South East and South South.”<\/p>\n
Courtesy:ibtimes.co.uk<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A suspected member of a newly established militant group in Nigeria has warned the life of President Muhammadu Buhari is in danger if he visits the oil-rich Niger Delta region.…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":49014,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-49807","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n