The Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators has cancelled the ceasefire it declared several years ago, and declared what it called “Operation Hunger Lion” over the present economic challenges Nigerians, especially the people of the Niger Delta, are facing.The Coalition announced their decision in a statement issued on Saturday after their emergency meeting where they reviewed the State of the Nation, especially as it affects Nigerians, Niger Delta people and the present economic challenges in the country.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
In the statement obtained by SaharaReporters, the coalition said it also demanded that the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, and his team be probed and made to account for the missing N164 billion, and hereafter sacked.
The coalition said, “We have observed that the present corruption in the country has reached its peak especially in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, NNPCL, Power Sector, Education and Steel.
“While we waited and hoped for a change in attitude from the people saddled with the responsibilities in the aforementioned ministry and agencies, it is now obvious that they are not willing to change or toe the path of honour and be accountable.
“The Coalition unanimously resolved as follows: We hereby want to state that NNPCL being the current importer of petroleum products in the country has failed woefully, with a high level of corruption and fraud despite selling fuel for over N700 per litre, the citizens are subjected to constant torture and suffering before they can buy fuel.
“A kilogramme of cooking gas is over N1500 now and even kerosene is no longer affordable by the citizens anymore.
“Mr Mele Kyari and his team should account for the missing N164billion from the coffers of the NNPCL with immediate effect.
“This can only happen when incompetent and wicked people are saddled with responsibilities over the people.
“We want to state here that before the appointment of Mr Mele Kyari as the GMD of NNPC, the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries were still functional and production was at sixty (60%) percent.
“However, as soon as Mele Kyari took over as GMD of NNPC, all the refineries were automatically shut down for reasons best known to him as his cohorts despite the billions of naira budgeted by the Federal Government every year to revamp and resuscitate these refineries, yet none is working.
“Mr. Mele Kyari should explain the ownership of the Refinery in Malta where his cronies normally export our crude, refine and import it again to us at higher cost; the reason why they keep sabotaging every effort to make Nigeria’s refinery productive.”
The statement further noted “It is with deep sense of responsibility that we state here that NDDC and the Ministry of Niger Delta Development and Presidential Amnesty Programme is a scam, conduit pipe and not useful to the people of the Niger Delta.
“The Ministry of Niger Delta has not executed any life-touching project or intervention in the region while NDDC at the other hand is being used as a conduit pipe by politicians at the detriment of the Niger Delta people.
“It is pertinent to note that the road projects constructed by NDDC in the Niger Delta region are substandard and do not usually last up to three years.
“The government should release funds owed to the NDDC and Ministry of Niger Delta to fast track development in the Niger Delta region while we call on the government to probe the past Board of NDDC and former Ministers in the Ministry of Niger Delta over failure and fraud
According to the coalition, “It is also of importance to note that the current hardship faced in the country is also caused by the poor Power Supply in the country over the years.“The Ministry of Power, Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) and Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) have failed in their mandate.
“Therefore the government should suspend all the heads of the aforementioned ministry and agencies and probe the funds released to them over the years.
“The educational system in Nigeria is in a very sorry state today, some schools are dilapidated, decay, leak and the structures are very bad due to long years of total abandonment, and students are left in this sorry state of learning facilities with inadequate teaching and learning facilities.
“These schools are also not secured enough to guarantee safety of the students and teachers, the neglect of the educational system by the Ministry of Education and Nigerian government is alarming, from primary schools to universities are in a very bad state and needs urgent attention; while the political class who supposed to fix this sector always takes their children to well-equipped and managed schools abroad.
“We want to state that the Health Sector in Nigeria is nothing to write home about, the Ministry of Health, NAFDAC and other agencies in the health sector have not delivered on its mandates, and people die on these facilities daily due to poor facilities to manage health issues and emergencies.
“Some health facilities only exist with no functional facility in them making it near impossible to treat patients successfully despite the professionalism of the employees.
“The health facilities are dilapidated in almost all the states of the federation and calls for urgent attention as many families lost their loved ones due to poor health facilities and equipment in the hospitals across the country.
“We also reject call by Arewa Group and End-Bad-Governance protesters to reintroduce fuel subsidy into the country as fuel subsidy was a very big fraud and crime against the people of Nigeria.“We rather call on the government to fix our refineries within a very short period of time to produce at optimal capacity and also give adequate support to Dangote Refinery for optimal production of petroleum products.
“We demand immediate sack of Mr. Mele Kyari, top Management of NNPCL and subsidiaries. While we call on the government to prosecute these individuals over fraud and embezzlement.
“We demand a probe of Mele Kyari and his team over the missing billions of naira as alleged by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation.
“We also call on the sack of the Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources – Oil and the Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Petroleum – Gas over incompetence and corruption; this is because they have failed Nigerians at this critical time.”
The coalition said that individuals with integrity and capable hands who have the interest of the nation at heart should be appointed for optimal performance of this critical sector.
The coalition further demanded “Immediate suspension of the Minister of Power, Head of Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and Power Holding Company of Nigeria over failure and fraud.
“The Education and Health Sector should immediately be rehabilitated, revitalized and equipped with state-of-the-art equipment to ensure proper health and education of our citizens which is a primary responsibility of the government.“Immediate review of Niger Delta Amnesty stipends to N250,000 as a result of the current hardship in the country and appointment of a substantive Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme to ensure the actualization of the core mandate of the programme.
“Finally, if the government fails to act on the above stated demands before September 7th, 2024.
“We will cancel all ceasefire earlier announced in 2017 and commence ‘Operation Hunger Lion’ which shall ensure zero oil production in the Niger Delta region by shutting down all the flow stations and export terminals.
“This Operation Hunger Lion would be carried out throughout the creeks of the Niger Delta and it’s aimed to ensure zero oil production in the Niger Delta region.
“We support President Tinubu, we wish him well and we will do everything possible to make sure he succeeds as President of Nigeria but the bad eggs in his government who are enemies of the people must go in order for this administration to succeed.”
The statement was jointly signed by General John Duku, leader of Niger Delta Watchdog and convener of Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators; General Ekpo Ekpo, for Niger Delta Volunteer; General Osarolor Nedam, for Niger Delta Warriors; Major-Gen. Henry Okon Etete, for Niger Delta Peoples Fighters; Major-Gen. Asukwo Henshaw, for Bakassi Freedom Fighters; Major-Gen. Ibinabo Horsfall, for the Niger Delta Movement for Justice; Major-Gen. Duke Emmanson, for Niger Delta Fighters Network; Major-Gen. Inibeghe Adams, for Niger Delta Freedom Mandate and Major-Gen. Abiye Tariah, for Niger Delta Development Network.
Others are Major-Gen. Joshua Ebere, for the Renewed Movement for Emancipation of the Niger Delta; Major-Gen. Jeremiah Anthony, for Movement for Actualisation of Niger Delta Republic; Major Francis Okoroafor, for Niger Delta Freedom Redemption Army and Colonel Nelson Okochi Walter, for Niger Delta Liberty Organisation.
(SaharaReporters)