Militants Give FG Ultimatum to Release $1b ECA for Niger Delta

Reformed Niger Delta Avengers have vowed to cripple the nation’s oil production if Federal Government fails to meet their condition within four weeks.

In a press release made available to newsmen, the militants have called on the federal government to withdraw another $1b from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) for the development of the Niger Delta region.

They queried government’s decision to withdraw $1b from the Excess Crude Account to fight Boko Haram insurgency.

The militants blamed federal government for neglecting Niger Delta region, saying “nothing stops the government from withdrawing from funds generated by the region to develop the region if it could approve such a large amount to fight Boko Haram insurgency in the North East.”

They described as insensitive and wicked, plans by the government to withdraw $1b from the excess crude account to develop the North, while leaving the Niger Delta under-developed.

The militants warned “We will ensure that anything that stands in our way will be crushed without mercy. All foreign nationals are hereby advised to leave the region as all our unit commanders have been put on the red alert to resume ‘operation zero oil production’ on the expiration of the four-week ultimatum.”

Their statement further reads: “We want to state categorically that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government is insensitive and practically negating the principles of natural justice by using resources derived from a neglected region to combat insurgency in the North East in the senseless Boko Haram war to the tune of $1bn from ECA.

“Why not access the fund from excess account from the sale of agriculture products in the northern part of the country? Why must it be from the creeks of the Niger Delta?

“The Federal Government’s insensitivity to the Niger Delta development has obviously reached its crescendo. We will not take this but resist with our might. This broad day light robbery against the Niger Delta people will not be accepted by us. We are going to resist this perpetual injustice against our long-neglected people in the region.”