Stop begging for dialogue, Avengers tell N’Delta elders

Ovie Okpare, Warri

The Niger Delta Avengers on Sunday warned the Niger Delta elders to desist from appealing to the group to accept the proposed dialogue by the Federal Government, noting that President Muhammadu Buhari is insincere and therefore should not be trusted.

The NDA also dared the Nigerian military to a combat in the creeks which they claimed remained their ‘hideout’, if the security agencies in the country were ready to arrest members of the group.

The insurgents, in a statement issued on Sunday by its spokesman, Agbinibo Mudoch, denied all those said to have been arrested by the military in the manhunt for its members, especially those said to have been arrested by the Nigerian Navy last week.

The Nigerian Navy on Saturday in Warri, Delta State, paraded two suspected members of the dreaded militant group, who confessed to being behind a series of attacks on Chevron facilities between May and July this year.

The NDA said, “To the elders of the Niger Delta, hope it is clear to you our elders that the Buhari-led government is unreliable, unreasonable and irresponsible. Can you tell the world the government official you have been dialoguing with? Is it the President? Or is there any committee that is set up for it?

“We respect you our elders. As such, stop behaving, as if the Niger Delta is a seized region. Stop acting like you are begging the government for a dialogue. The worse the government will do is to bombard our villages and towns in the name of looking for NDA. So, our elders should tread carefully with the Nigerian government.”

NDA also stated that it was not afraid of the country’s military as it was very much prepared to defeat the uniform men whenever they challenge it in battle.

“Since we (NDA) started the struggle, none of our operatives has been arrested. All those in detention in the name of NDA are not part of NDA.  The world should know this. Stanley Tonghan and Felix Miyenminiye are not members of NDA. We don’t know them or have any connection with them.

“The suspects (Tonghan and Felix Miyenminiye) were paid five million naira to give Nigerian military intelligence information on the activities of NDA.  The suspects’ failure to deliver led to their arrest. They were therefore tagged NDA members. What a shame?” the NDA queried.

– PUNCH