Northerners should leave Niger Delta before Oct 1, militants react to Igbo quit notice

Niger Delta militants have issued an October 1 ultimatum for
northerners to leave their region, in response to the quit notice
given to the Igbo by some Arewa youth groups.
The militants also said the federal government should hand over all
oil blocs controlled by northerners to the people of Niger Delta.
In a joint statement released on Friday, the coalition of Niger Delta
militants said they will declare the independence of the region on
October 1.
“A coalition of the Niger Delta militants met today in Port Harcourt
to review the recent call by the Arewa Youths groups that the Ndigbo
should vacate all the Northern states within three months,” it read.
“We see the declaration by Arewa Youths as a declaration which the
northern elders, leaders, political elite, security heads from the
North and governors were fully aware of.
“We demand 100 per cent control of our resources. We demand that the
Federal Government should hand over all oil blocs owned by northerners
to Niger Delta indigenes. All the companies operating in such oil
blocs/wells should vacate within three months.”
The militants further said that the Nigeria National Petroleum
Corporation (NNPC) should be relocated to the Niger Delta region.
“The Federal Government should immediately relocate NNPC and all the
offices that have to do with oil/gas sector back to Niger Delta states
and immediately replace the Group Managing Director with an indigene
of Niger Delta,” the communique further read.
“All northern indigenes working in NNPC and any other board that has
anything to do with oil/gas should be sacked with immediate effect.
“We demand an independent and sovereign Republic of Niger Delta. We
are tired of living with the North under Nigeria. We are tired of the
President’s sentiments against the Niger Delta people.
“On October 1, 2017 we shall declare our independence come rain, come
shine. We shall take our destiny in our hands and free ourselves from
the slavery of the North as they are tired of one Nigeria.
“From October 1, 2017, we don’t want to see any northerner close to
(the) Niger Delta; any attempt to penetrate shall meet fierce
resistance. This time, we are not going to play defence, but attack.”
Those who signed the communiqué include, ‘General’ John Duku (Niger
Delta Watchdogs and Convener: Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators),
‘General’ Ekpo Ekpo (Niger Delta Volunteers), ‘General’ Osarolor Nedam
(Niger Delta Warriors), and ‘Major-Gen.’ Henry Okon Etete (Niger Delta
Peoples Fighters), ‘Major-Gen.’ Asukwo Henshaw (Bakassi Freedom
Fighters), ‘Major-Gen.’ Ibinabo Horsfall (Niger Delta Movement for
Justice), ‘Major-Gen.’ Duke Emmanson (Niger Delta Fighters Network),
and ‘Major-Gen.’ Inibeghe Adams (Niger Delta Freedom Mandate).