Militants threaten to launch six missiles in Niger Delta

 

                                                Niger Delta militants

A consolidated group of militants under the aegis of the Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force (JNDLF) yesterday, threatened to launch six missiles in the Niger Delta.

The group said it would begin the testing of its six missiles, which would last for three days, on June 7.

Though it did not disclose the nature of the missiles, it warned that no airplanes should fly in and out of the country within the period. The weapons are, according to the group, capable of hitting any object despite its size.

It said its fighters, trained for that purpose, had already arrived in the region with its foreign partners through what it described as the country’s porous borders.

The group, in an electronic statement, said it took the decision to further wreack havoc in the region at a meeting attended in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, by its commanders.

The militant group said Bayelsa State, not Delta State, is the command base of the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) and warned the Commissioner of Information and Orientation in Bayelsa, Mr. Jonathan Obuebite, to stop criticising the NDA.

The group, in the statement which repeatedly referred to President Muhammadu Buhari as Pharaoh, said the highest organ of JNDLF, the Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC), concluded that the launching of the missiles would signal its readiness for the final break-up of the country.

Signatories to the statement identified themselves as ‘General’ Torunanaowei Latei (Creek Network Coordinator); ‘General’ Agbakakuro Owei-Tauro (Pipeline Bleeding Expert); ‘General’ Akotebe Darikoro (Commander, General Duties) and ‘General’ Pulokiri Ebikade (Intelligence Bureau).

The group said: “After extensive and exhaustive deliberation by all commanders of

various groups in Yenagoa, the heart of the Niger Delta struggle met last night and as part of our mission, we are going to test six (6) of our missiles in the region. This is to show the Federal Government our readiness for the American prediction.

“There should be no form of helicopter to fly around in the region as we will not guarantee the safety of such object. The people of the Niger Delta region should not panic in the course of test running the six missiles.”

The group said it might decide within the week to shut down the Nigerian satellite orbit to disable communication in the country, warning that within its three days of launching the missiles no airplanes should fly in and out of the country.

It said: “Our struggle is not for any human blood, but we have been pushed to

the wall for justice because our patience is running out daily basis as Nigerian uniform men kill our innocent people continuously.

“Nigerian military should as a matter of urgency leave peacefully the Ijaw communities they are presently in, the next 48 hours under the guise of searching for the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) or else we should not be blamed for whatever catastrophe that may befall such officers and the likely affected families of the officers should not blame

the region.

“We have consulted our war gods (deities) that enough is enough and that the time has come. Since the present Pharaoh of Nigeria, President Buhari is to preside over the disintegration of the country it is a good omen.

“Henceforth, any attack on Ijaw communities or person(s) by the military or para-military body in the region, we will not hesitate to order our shoot-at-sight squad of any uniform personnel in the region.”

It added: “We ask all Service Chiefs, including Minister of Defence to shamefully resign their positions because Nigeria has no security in whatever form. Bravo to our Foreign Marine Crack Team for their ability to shut down Nigerian obsolete surveillance equipment.”