As new militant group issues FG, NASS ultimatum over  N-Delta devt plan, confab report

By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South South, Egufe Yafugborhi, Perez Brisibe, Akpokona Omafuaire &  Godwin Oghre

WARRI—THE Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, yesterday, said it has never entered into any agreement with the Federal Government on cessation of hostilities in the Niger Delta region.

The group which had claimed responsibility for series of attacks on oil installations in the Niger Delta region, in a post on its twitter handle, said: “The NDA High Command never remembers having any agreement on ceasefire with the Nigerian Government.”

It was earlier reported that a 30-day truce had been agreed with the militants to give President Muhammadu Buhari time to come up with a comprehensive plan for the oil-rich region.

The “30 days of quiet” was said to have been agreed upon last week by a Federal Government team led by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, and representatives of the militant groups, community leaders and the state governments.

But the Avengers denied being party to the agreement.

Also, a new militant group, Ultimate Warriors of the Niger Delta, UWND, with alleged alliance with a foreign organisation, yesterday, gave the Federal Government ultimatum to commence implementation of portions of the 2014 National Conference, which created a road map for the rapid development of the region or expect a violent change in the next three years.

Similarly, Niger Delta Patriotic Front, NDPF, said that the purported 30-day ceasefire allegedly brokered with militants in Delta state was a ploy by the Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, and its promoters to deceive President Buhari.