It has been a long while that they laid down their arms through the amnesty programme policy by the Jonathan-led administration, the Niger-Delta militants are threatening to pick up where they left off their oil defence struggles if President Goodluck Jonathan should loose the 2015 Presidential elections to General Muhammadu Buhari.
The militants says that they woulddefend their own as the North wants to wrestle power back through desperation and Jonathan retaining the nation’s number one citizenship is not on the negotiating tables at all.
Speaking when they met at the State House, Yenogoa, with the Bayelsa State governor, Seriake Dickson the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, and chairman of Amnesty Implementation Committee, Kingsley Kuku; Bayelsa state Governor, Seriake Dickson and his deputy; President General of Ijaw Youth Council, Udengs Eradiri, the militant heads claimed that the South-South own the oil resources which they are been cheated out of the dividends.
One of the militant heads, Victor Ben Ebikabowei, aka Boyloaf, speaking to the gathered audience, he boasted that war was imminent if Jonathan looses and only the Niger-Delta makes Nigeria a nation.
“One thing I can assure you is that though, I am retired, I am not tired. We can go back to the struggle. We own the resources and they are saying we do not have the right to rule. I will assure you that we must collect our oil back. If they take back power from us, we will take back our oil. Let us fight this last fight and I tell you the Devil is a liar.
“We are Nigerians but not one Nigeria; what brings us together is oil. The North wants to use insecurity excuse to push out our own.
“Keep grudges and sentiments apart. We are ready to match them bumper to bumper.”
Another ex-militant, Mujahid Dokubo-Asari said the Ijaw ethnic group have been deprived of their largesse of national wealth and are ready to reclaim their possession if their ‘son’ (Jonathan) fails at the elections.
“For every Goliath, God created a David. For every Pharoah, there is a Moses. We are going to war. Everyone of you should go and fortify yourself.”
Governor Dickson thanked the militants for supporting the re-election bid of the president, however, he advised that they should not give in to the urge to resort to violence and refuse to be bribed over by the opposition. He also reminded them that he would relate their position to the president.
Another ex-militant leader, Government Ekpudomenowei, aka, Tompolo was at the meeting too.
Goodluck Jonathan is the only Ijaw indegiene to ever govern the whole nation.
