Niger Delta militant groups warn government against only talking to Mend and NDA

SEVERAL Niger Delta militant groups have written to the federal government warning that they will not be party to any agreements entered into that only involve the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) and the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend).

 

Following the return of militancy to the Niger Delta lately, the government has made overtures to armed groups in the region asking them to lay down their arms and enter into dialogue. Already, mend has agreed to commence talks with the government, while the NDA, has given conditions for negotiations.

 

However, several other armed groups feel they are being ignored and have warned that if they are sidelined, they will not recognise any agreements entered into. Yesterday, three militant groups the Reformed Egbesu Boys, Egbesu Water Lions and Egbesu Mythier Fraternity, wrote to the minister of state for petroleum Ibe Kachikwu, saying that neither NDA nor Mend has their mandate to represent them in any dialogue with government.

 

Tony Alagbakeriowei, the general officer commanding intelligence, and General Ebi Abakoromor, the general officer logistics and administration of the three groups, have issued a statement warning that the preliminary discussions so far were slanted towards the NDA and a particular former militant leader. They have vowed to cause mayhem if they are ignored.

 

They said: “We write on behalf of the Reformed Egbesu Boys of the Niger Delta, Egbesu Water Lions and Egbesu Mythier Fraternity to bring to the urgent attention of the federal government that the negotiation with the Avengers is lopsided. It will be recalled that various militant groups make up the Niger Delta Avengers and we were taken aback that the federal government team is negotiating with Gbaramatu kingdom representatives only.

 

“Be reminded that this current crisis is not a particular ex-militant leader affair and therefore, Gbaramatu representatives cannot negotiate with the federal government to the exclusion of other active participants in the crisis. Consequently, we warn that the negotiating team be expanded to include various active group reps that participated in this current crisis and if there is any failure to heed this wise counsel, aggrieved stakeholders will resort to doing what we know best."

 

Mend and the NDA have formed a joint negotiating team known as Aaron Team Two but the other groups have refused to recognise it saying that mend only exists on the pages of newspapers and hotels rooms in Abuja. They also allege that Mend engages in kidnapping and hostage-taking, thus criminalising their legitimate agitation.