By Sylvester Idowu in Warri
As President Muhammadu Buhari is set to meet with the leadership of Niger Delta towards finding a lasting solution to the crisis in the region, a new militant group, Niger Delta Defence Corps (NDDC) on Sunday threatened to bomb two pipelines this Monday.
It said it would do so should the Federal Government fail to include its members in the proposed negotiations with elders and leaders of the region slated for Tuesday.
The group, in an online statement signed by its spokesman, General Egbe, said the attacks on the oil facilities would be carried out simultaneously in Delta and Rivers States.
It claimed responsibility for Saturday’s bombing of a a pipeline in an undisclosed area in Edo State.
It said its actions would be in protest of the non-inclusion of its members in the scheduled dialogue
with President Muhammadu Buhari despite a letter written to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
“We Niger Delta Defence Corps (NDDC) militant group disagree with the step taken on the proposed dialogue by the President. We sent a letter to the government throught the SGF office and have not received any invitation.
“For that, we are going to blow up two pipelines in Delta and Rivers States to protest this cause”, it added.
Meanwhile, four rights groups in the Niger Delta have condemned the discussions between the dialogue team led by Chief Edwin Clark and the US Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Homeland Rights, Dr. Sarah Sewall
They described the talks billed to hold at the residence of the South South leader in Asokoro in Abuja as disappointing especially from the position of their leaders.
“The issues canvassed at the parley seems to be a prelude to what our leaders will be presenting to the Federal Government at the forthcoming dialogue convened by President Mohammadu Buhari. If that be the case then we are totally disappointed in the unsolicited positions of our leaders”, they added.
The position was contained in a joint statement signed by Dickson Bekederemo, President, Niger-Delta Security Watch organization (NDSWON); Comrade Austin Ozobo, National President, Ijaw People’s Development Initiative, (IPDI); Alaowei Cleric Esq., National President, Foundation For Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Crusade, (FHRACC) and Fred Brisibe,
Coordinator – Ijaw Human Rights Monitors.
