Niger Delta Revolutionary Crusaders (NDRC), has directed its commanders to return to the creeks and await further directive on possible resumption of hostilities against oil and gas assets in the region over the 3 percent provided for host communities in Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB.
Seriake Dickson, a former governor of Bayelsa state on Thursday, warned that the injustice meted on host communities will lead to possible dire unrest in the region.
In a statement on Friday by NDRC’s spokesman, W.O. I Izon-Ebi, the militants condemned the three per cent as well as the 30 per cent allocated for the exploration of frontier basins in the passed bill.
The group in a statement titled “We Will Defend Our God-Given Resources” said it would fight until the obnoxious sections of the PIB were reviewed by the National Assembly”.
While describing the PIB as a coup against the people of the oil-rich Niger Delta by Nigeria, the group decried the constant desecration of the entire region through oil and gas exploration and exploitation with no commensurate provision to develop the region.
“For 56 years, the region has suffered desecration of its sacred places like worship centres, lands, streams, lakes and severe environmental degradation without remediation.
“While the government and people of Zamfara state are allowed to control 100% of their gold resource (fiscal Federalism applying in Zamfara State), what the people of the Niger Delta region could get from their own natural resources is a paltry 3% for host communities and in contrast, a whopping 30% for exploration of frontier basins.
“This is an economic coup against the people of the region; it is an insult, a daylight robbery and betrayal by the Nigerian government.
“The region embraced peace because it was the most civilized thing to do in order to give way for proper dialogue, genuine government commitment and re-idealogical construct about the Niger Delta region.
“Unfortunately, about 11 years of giving peace a chance in the region, the Nigerian government has rather become ruthless to the region through obnoxious statutes. These are our genuine concerns and our grievances,” the group averred.
The militants said they have, therefore, directed their “commanders in the region to go back to the creeks and wait for further directive on the next line of action. We will defend our resources and protect our region from further mindless pillage of our God-given resources.”
