Amid the ongoing EndSARS campaign—seeking a reform of the Nigeria Police Force, other demands have evolved within the protest that goes with a threat to the country’s security.
A coalition of nine renegade militant groups have vowed to escalate the EndSARS protest by first engaging the troops attached to the proposed operation crocodile smile before launching attacks on identified oil facilities in the region if the issues of poor welfare, armed oppression and inequality in the standard of living between the citizens and political elites are not addressed.
The group under the aegis of the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers, RNDA, announced in a communiqué by their leader, Major General Johnmark Ezenobi, that preparation for the attacks have been outlined and major crude oil pipelines and their platforms will not be left unscratched, including the “major gas distribution pipelines in Escravo-Warri-Kaduna.”
Ezenobi further demanded for the urgent release of N98 billion gas flare penalty fund to host oil communities through the national leader of Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas (HOSCON), Prince Dr Mike Emuh.
The Heritage Times had learnt that the N98 billion, which was allegedly paid by the IOCS to the Department of Petroleum Resources few years ago have become a subject of controversy following its transfer to the federation account.
Emuh, had briefed journalists in an interview that federal government, for reasons yet to be understood, kept the fund in the federation account instead of the HOSCON account, maintaining that releasing the money would help to sustain existing peace in the region.
Lending their voice to the ongoing protest, the group reiterated their support for the EndSARS movement; insisting that the welfare of the citizens should be taken into serious account.
Ezenobi noted, “Every region and its citizenry first of all got 10 per cent in every revenue derived by country sourced either from oil and other sources just to cater for the welfare of the citizens of this country before the revenue will be shared to the three tiers of government by the central government.
He said that the oil producing communities should be entitled to five per cent front line charge of the oil revenue and the money should be directly paid to the host communities and not to the governors of Niger Delta States.
While offering President Muhammadu Buhari’s vindication in the present economic challenges, Ezenobi hinted that some ministers and National Assembly members were responsible for the woes that have befallen the country.
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