Some agitating groups in the Niger Delta region have insisted that the Yoruba and the Hausa/Fulani people living in the region must leave by October 1.
The groups also replied President Muhammadu Buhari’s position on the calls for restructuring, saying without it, the nation would not remain united.
Their position is part of a statement made available to journalists in Abuja signed by John Duku (Niger Delta Watchdogs); 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 ); Duke Emmanson (Niger Delta Fighters Network) and Inibeghe Adams (Niger Delta Freedom Mandate).
According to them, “We wish to thank all well – meaning Nigerians who threw their weight behind restructuring and disassociated themselves from the President’s position on restructuring.
“We want to remind him (the President) that without restructuring, there would be no united Nigeria.”
The agitators said they were shocked to hear the President said the unity of Nigeria was not negotiable when “indeed he did not believe in other Nigerians apart from those from the North.”
They added, “The Coalition of Arewa Youths’ quit notice to Igbo was in collaboration with the Northern elders, the President’s cabal and top security chiefs from the North. They were properly consulted by the youths.
“Therefore, we maintain our previous position that Northerners and Yorubas should vacate the Niger Delta region before October 1, 2017, until justice is done.
“We can no longer tolerate this injustice, marginalisation and being treated as slaves in our own land.
“We, therefore, demand that the Northerners should return 70 per cent and Yorubas 15 per cent of their oil blocks to the Niger Delta people for justice to prevail.”
