By Emma Amaize

WARRI- THE Joint Task Force, JTF, on the Niger-Delta, has seized another camp, belonging to the Niger-Delta Liberation Force, NDLF, headed by wanted militant leader, “General” John Togo.

militants

Spokesman of the NDLF, “Captain” Mark Anthony who confirmed the take-over of the camp by the task force, however, said the militants did not want to confront the soldiers because of the understanding its leadership reached with the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, to cease hostilities pending his negotiation with President Goodluck Jonathan.

While congratulating President Jonathan for his victory in the PDP presidential primary, it said the attack on one of its camp by the task force was carried out on the eve of the primary to cause tension in the region.

Its words, “We want to note that evil forces in the security force in the Joint Task Force (JTF) who do not want peace in Niger Delta for their selfish millions of naira of unaccounted security votes, came and launched an attack on one of our camps ( not ISRAEL BARRACKS), on 13^th January 2011, a day to the PDP presidential primaries,  intended to make worse the already bad security report by pushing NDLF to turn down its temporal cease fire after the pleading and intervention of CAN president Papa Ayo Oritsejafor to negotiate on behalf of our organization with the federal government for permanent peace in Niger Delta”.

“But NDLF soldiers on duty did not fight back and simply abandoned the camp after packing our belongings, including our arms. JTF made sporadic gun shots and seized the camp without response from our soldiers because we need peace to reign by obeying the CAN leadership.

“This is not an act of cowardice, but we only kept our own side of agreement with the CAN leadership for permanent peace in the region.

We therefore, warn that we shall not condone with any of such irrational act in the future with the JTF soldiers by abandoning our camps. We want to warn again that it is dangerous for any intruder to come close or seize any of NDLF bases from 200 meters away as our locations are planted with bombs both land and river to be detonated through devices no matter the distance”, it stated.

According to the NDLF, “Those men (JTF soldiers) at our camp are advised to relocate immediately for their own interest and safety to a different location as our bases are electrified with bombs as we do not want to claim lives of innocent Nigerians either as soldiers.

We want to appeal to JTF authorities to learn from the 17^th November, 2010 bloody confrontation while pursuing NDLF soldiers as to avoid further recurrence. Our fear is that after a bloody encounter, our Ijaw villages are used as reprisal. If we had ignited our bombs in the recent JTF unprofessional show of prowess, the nation would have counted another round of loss of countless soldiers in a national assignment”.

“While we keep faith in the CAN leadership, we would want CAN to direct JTF soldiers never to pursue NDLF leader and his soldiers as that may lead NDLF to act otherwise, which will lead to further bombing and attack of oil facilities. Our war is primarily targeted at oil facilities which we believe sincerely will cripple Nigerian economy and make the government to act wisely in addressing the Niger Delta question holistically.

We warn members of Nigerian welders and fitters Association never go close to the bombed pipelines for repair works as that may put the lives of workers in those locations in danger”, the group stated.

On President Jonathan, the group said, “NDLF had said repeatedly that it does not fight President Goodluck Jonathan presidential ambition as it is being insinuated by low-sighted people. But we are fighting the fraudulent Nigerian government.

The leadership of the Niger Delta Liberation Force (NDLF) on behalf of the good people of Niger Delta and other Nigerians congratulate President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for his victory in the just concluded People Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential primaries”.

“The victory of President Goodluck Jonathan Goodluck PDP presidential primary is victory for NDLF and Nigerians who desire positive change in Nigeria. The victory is a ray of hope for people of Niger Delta and other Nigerians, particularly NDLF freedom fighters for a better deal in Niger Delta. We commend especially all the Northern supporters who made it possible for President Goodluck/Sambo joint presidential PDP ticket”, it added