Militancy: FG not in talks with Niger Delta militants —Tabai

By Emma Amaize, Soni Daniel & Perez Brisibe

More confusion  enveloped the Niger Delta region, yesterday, as a key actor in the region, Jude Tabai, said that he was unaware of any discussion between any militant group and the Federal Government.

The claim by Tabai, who described himself as a major stakeholder in the Niger Delta crisis, ran contrary to the position of President Muhammadu Buhari last week, that the government was discussing Niger Delta peace with militants.

Tabai, who led Sports and Youths Development Minister, Solomon Lalong, to a failed peace parley with Niger Delta Avengers lately, said that the government might have been discussing with fifth columnists, who were merely keen on reaping pecuniary gains, adding that  there was no credible dialogue currently going on between the government and the real ‘stakeholders’ in the Niger Delta crisis.

Also,  there was confusion, weekend, as the Avengers and their alleged splinter faction, Reformed Niger Delta Avengers, RNDA, played dirty, the latter having released the names of 22 persons it claimed were sponsors, members and sympathisers of the principal group, Saturday.

An Ijaw leader who spoke on condition of anonymity to our reporter on phone lamented: “It is unfortunate that they have penetrated our boys with money and they are now using them to fight themselves. This is bad for the struggle.”

Spokesperson of NDA, self-styled Brig-General Mudoch Agbinibo, had told Vanguard that the group was intact and in a subsequent statement, accused a top government official, a former governor and ex-militant leaders hiding under the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, of announcing the  purported split.

“It is quite unfortunate that Cynthia Whyte and Jomo Gbomo of defunct Joint Revolutionary Council and MEND, respectively are the spokespersons of the Nigerian intelligentsia community because of some political interest and a government that has abdicated power to clansmen and tribal lords.

“The fact checks about Cynthia Whyte and her sponsors should be laid bare before the public now that the Nigerian security and intelligent community have turned the Niger Delta genuine struggle to a tool of political patronage and money making machine for miscreants and conflict merchants,” NDA said.

Similarly, the Adaka Boro Avengers, ADA, which recently dumped its threat to declare a Republic of Niger Delta, yesterday, said that President Buhari was not ready for dialogue as it ordered oil companies to stop further repairs on pipelines and vandalised oil installations in their own interest.

Meanwhile, Delta activist and Itsekiri leader, Chief Ayiri Emami, yesterday, urged President Buhari to investigate the 22 alleged sponsors, members and sympathizers of the Avengers, revealed on Saturday by a splinter faction, RNDA.

The All Progressives Congress, APC, stalwart in Delta State, in a statement, said: “The revelation by the splinter group of Avengers about the sponsors of NDA has vindicated my earlier position that some corrupt politicians running away from justice are the brains behind the criminal group.

“Nigerians should not take the report by the online medium  lightly and President Buhari should ensure that the fresh revelation is properly investigated with a view to bringing all those behind the economic and political sabotage to book.”

Meanwhile, national president of Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, Mr. Udengs Eradiri, who RNDA listed as one of the operatives of Avengers, reacted yesterday, saying: “I have no business whatsoever with the Niger Delta Avengers. I am the President of IYC, the largest youth organisation in the Niger Delta region and not spokesman of Avengers.”