WARRI- Ijaw People Development Initiative (IPDI) has shifted blame on the return of the once dreaded Niger Delta Avengers which had vowed to carry out brutish and bloody operations in the Niger Delta region.
The IPDI National President Comrade Ozobo Austin drop the hint in a press statement, said, ‘‘it is obvious that Niger Delta AVENGERS are returning with brutish, brutal and bloody attacks on oil facilities in the country. It is not a surprise that PANDEF activities have been finally suspended by NDV who mandated them to dialogue on behalf of the region. This indicates that Nigeria government has failed to utilize available privileges to dialogue and end marginalization in the region’’
‘‘We blamed President Buhari for the return of AVENGERS and suspension of PANDEF activities. Buhari trivilize Niger Delta demands and that is the cause of the return of Niger Delta Avengers, so the international community and other well-meaning persons should hold Buhari responsible for any crisis in the region.
IPDI said ‘‘The ineptitude of Buhari is too obvious, non of the promises he made have been fulfilled, and these were the grounds for peace and dialogue.
However, Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, equally failed in their assignments. Some big wigs in the forum turn the forum to personal property. Meetings were held in their private bed rooms. They abandoned the core issues of the region for personal businesses with the government.
‘‘They throw our core demand for self-determination and restructuring into the wind and begin to demand for palliatives. They lack the will and courage to communicate to the govt our demands. Instead of standing firm with the region ,they fight to maintain and protect their personal interests and friendship with the government. Any time, they meet with the government ,they crack jokes and end up such meetings with laugh and praises. They derail the struggle to pocket and pallative struggle. Little did they know that niger delta struggle is not a palliative struggle. This has equally made the federal govt to take them as unserious people. These made PANDEF incredible and unfit to dialogue on behalf of the regio’’
According to the group, it is about a year now when the government promised of setting up a dialogue team to engage the region for proper dialogue of major concerns ,uptill now no dialogue team has been put up.
‘‘If we may ask where are the 2billion kick off funds for Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko, where are all the deep sea ports? Where are the modular refineries, where are the promises of relocation of IOCs, where are the promises to return our Egbesu sword and where are the satanic surveillance palliatives?
‘‘What about the region’s demand for self-determination, resource control and restucturing? All these promises are turning to an empty one and that is the provocation. Does these shows any commitment and seriousness on the part of Buhari government? The federal government unwillingness to solve Niger Delta quest, a main factor for the return of the Niger Delta Avengers.
‘‘The region is victimized and marginalized. We face daily unwarranted military invasions, arrests, humiliation and harassment, despite we produced the national cake.
‘‘Tompolo has been witch-hurt. His accounts remains frozen and properties seized and stolen. These are some of the avoidable provocations, now causing tension in the region.
‘‘The recent appeal court verdict turning down Tompolo’s demand to vacate the order for seizure of his properties is provocative, Nigeria constitution gives right to its citizens to own movable and immovable properties, yet Justice Buba made a ruling that his(Tompolo)properties remain seized.
‘‘They cited the criminal justice act to justify this kangaroo ruling. It is equally stated that the Nigeria constitution is supreme and that any law made contrary to the provisions of the country’s constitution, such laws remain null and void. So between Nigeria constitution and criminal justice law that empowers the court to seize Tompolo properties which one is now supreme?
‘‘Nigeria is a banana republic where life is cheap and brute. They don’t care what happens to you. Part of the demands are providing political solutions to Tompolo court case to unfreeze Tompolo accounts but the recent appeal judgement shows that the government is not sincere over these agreements.
‘‘We state vehemently that President Buhari should be held liable for the return of AVENGERS and suspension of PANDEF. It is imperative that the federal government should swing into action in a view of initiating proper dialogue with NIGER DELTA REGION to save this doom that may befall the country’’ he said
