Trouble in Paradise: Niger-Delta Avengers Split as Faction Threatens to Expose Sponsors, Members

A group, Reformed Niger Delta Avengers, RNDA,  claiming to be a breakaway faction of the Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, emerged, yesterday, backed out of the continued attacks on pipelines by the principal organization, threatening to expose the identities of  NDA fighters and their sponsors if the militant group do not cease hostilities.

The new group in a statement by Cynthia Whyte, last night, said: “Permit us to begin by introducing the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA), a breakaway faction of the Niger Delta Avengers.”

Saturday Vanguard sent an electronic mail to NDA yesterday evening for its response, but at 8.35 pm, it had not responded. A privileged source, who preferred anonymity, hinted: “I don’t think it is true, the Niger Delta Avengers we know cannot chicken out of the struggle, I think some people have been paid to cause confusion and derail their struggle.”

RNDA, however, said: “A majority of us in consideration of the recent personal appeal by His Excellency, former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan,  the peace efforts and initiative of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) and the feeling of guilt over the damage being effected on our environment.

“And at the same time, the government of President Buhari has exhibited political will and backing words with action to clean up the environment, we have decided to join the MEND Aaron Team 2 peace initiative through the clearing house of Niger Delta Dialogue and Contact Group (NDDCG) headed by HRH King Alfred Diette-Spiff,” the group said.

It asserted: “ We will also cooperate with the government by exposing the identities of our comrades,  who remain stubborn in their insistence to continue attacks. For example, it will shock the nation to know the Jekyll and Hyde personality behind the pseudonym ‘Brigadier General Murdoch Agbinibo’ and our sponsors.”

It  added: “We also use this opportunity to call on the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB,  to take advantage of the olive branch concession secured by MEND and renounce the Biafra question which is an anachronism.

“Those advising Mr. Nnamdi Kanu to do otherwise neither love him nor appreciate the level of treason this simple act of common sense and humility can extricate him from,” the new group pointed out.

It stated: “The Niger Delta will no longer be your proxy war to achieve your ambition. To our comrades in the NDA, we urge you to stop being defiant and embrace peace and the wise counsel we all received from former President Jonathan.”

Meanwhile, the Ijaw Human Rights Monitors, IJHR, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to liaise with former President Goodluck Jonathan to help him in resolving the Niger Delta logjam.

Coordinator of the group, Fred Brisibe, in a statement, said: “We noticed from the body language of former President Goodluck Jonathan after his meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari that there are flickers of light at the end of the tunnel for the bleak situation of uncertainty around the agitation for restructuring.”

“However, this hope may fizzle out too soon if certain ugly trends are not arrested without delay. Truth is, certain characters who are members of the so-called Niger Delta Contact and Dialogue Team are on a mission to thwart the peace initiative.

“They frolic daily with the fraudulent MEND and use the opportunity of their membership of the committee to extort money from unsuspecting government officials for self enrichment. This is adversely affecting the peace process and may completely frustrate the dialogue,” he said.

The group asserted: “It is important, therefore, that for any meaningful and pragmatic solution to emerge, President Muhammadu Buhari should liaise with Goodluck Jonathan to get a proper team of delegates from the region to dialogue with.

“We wish to use the opportunity to call on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the DSS to arrest and prosecute anyone who is involved in this syndicate,” it added.

 

Source: Vanguard