Niger Delta coalition wants FG to stop funding southeastern states over Biafra

- The Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators condemned IPOB for attacking security agents and Hausa people in Rivers state

- The coalition also lampooned former President Olusegun Obasanjo for asking the government to negotiate with IPOB

- They asked the government to stop funding the southeast with money from oil

 

 A group under the umbrella of the Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators is asking the Federal Government to allow Igbo people in the country to leave and form Biafra as they wish.

The coalition said allowing the south-east people to leave Nigeria would help the country avoid another civil war that could claim millions of lives.

They condemned the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) for attacking security agents and the Hausa communities in some of their domains in the heat of the Operation Python Dance.

I have prayed against Biafra and it will not come to pass - Olumba

The Niger Deltan coalition said it was shocked to hear that aggrieved IPOB members attacked Hausa people in Oyigbo Local Government Area in Rivers state which is not part of the southeast.

In a statement on Monday, September 18, signed by 13 militant groups led by the leader of the Niger Delta Watchdogs, John Duku, the coalition said: “We condemn the IPOB attack and destruction of properties in Oyigbo in Rivers state; we have warned this people several times that Rivers state and the entire Niger Delta region is not and would not be part of Biafra.

“They rush to Rivers state to attack Hausa community in order to involve the Niger Delta territory in the ill-advised secession agenda of IPOB.

“We are appealing to the Nigerian government to allow Igbo to go and have their independence without the involvement of other zones since they are tired of being in Nigeria.

“Rather the government should allow them to be on their own, stop funding the southeastern states with the Niger Delta money.

“They should be on their own, generate their funds and pay their bills. It is high time Nigeria allowed Igbo to be on their own to avoid another civil war.

“Nigeria is not ready to go into another civil war, we therefore appeal to the government to allow Igbo to go and be on their own, all the serving governors, senators, House of Reps members, ministers, ambassadors from the southeast extraction should resign immediately and join Nnamdi Kanu to form Biafra government, let peace reign in Nigeria.”

Other members of the coalition who signed the statement, according to the Punch include: Ekpo Ekpo (Niger Delta Volunteers), Osarolor Nedam (Niger Delta Warriors), Henry Okon Etete (Niger Delta Peoples Fighters), Asukwo Henshaw (Bakassi Freedom Fighters), Ibinabo Horsfall (Niger Delta Movement for Justice) and Duke Emmanson (Niger Delta Fighters Network).

Others include: Inibeghe Adams (Niger Delta Freedom Mandate), Abiye Tariah (Niger Delta Development Network), Joshua Ebere (Renewed Movement for Emancipation of Niger Delta), Jeremiah Anthony (Movement for Actualization of Niger Delta Republic), and Francis Okoroafor (Niger Delta Freedom Redemption Army).

The coalition slammed former President Olusegun Obasanjo for calling on the government to dialogue with Nnamdi Kanu.

It said: “It is totally wrong that the man who destroyed Udi, Bayelsa state in Niger Delta can today talk about dialogue.

“During his tenure Asari Dokubo and others were locked up for over one year without trial while he was busy siphoning Niger Delta money, today he is talking about dialogue.”

NAIJ.com earlier reported how the federal government accused the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) of using fake videos of mass killings, harvested from other parts of Africa and doctored to look current, to mislead the international community and win their support.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, stated this when he addressed Online Publishers in Lagos on Monday, September 18.