Niger Delta Groups, Ex-militants Meet; Considers Retaliation And Secession

Leaders of some prominent socio-political and ex-militant groups in Niger Delta are strategizing on appropriate response to the increasingly daring activities of Boko Haram, which they believe, was a plot to oust the Jonathan’s administration.

Consequently, various groups especially in Rivers, Delta, and Bayelsa states have reportedly have been meeting secretly in Port Harcourt since the early hours of Sunday, barely 48 hours after the suicide bombing of the United Nations [UN] House last Friday. The Islamic fundamentalists claimed responsibility for the attack.

Impeccable sources told Daily Sun that the meetings were still ongoing as at Monday, and were being held in various venues in three states, but also attended by representatives especially of the Ijaw ethnic stock from other states in the South-South geo-political zone.

This is coming even as the Federal Capital Territory [FCT] police command said detectives investigating last Friday’s bombing in Abuja, were getting close to clues that would unravel the perpetrators and the real motive behind the act. “We do not have clues at present, but we are getting to having some vital clues very soon,” FCT Police Commissioner, Mike Zuokumor, told our correspondent on Monday on telephone.

A source close to the meetings in the Niger Delta said appropriate measures to counter the heightening “threat from some elements in the North, including the return of fire-for-fire” were being considered, although the response would not be immediate, but spontaneous. He also said a move towards secession might as well be on the cards.

“There is a strong feeling that the recurring attacks from the North are sponsored and aimed at messing up President Jonathan and the Niger Delta people by creating high level of insecurity that could trigger a military reaction or any unpleasant development. The Ijaws and other ethnic groups in the South-South would not watch the situation to deteriorate further until we are all consumed. I can tell you that some foreign bodies are equally fed up with what is happening, and are ready to partner us in our present moves,” the source who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent.

The unfolding development followed a declaration by the South South Peoples Assembly (SSPA), to the effect that the activities of the Boko Haram were fuelled by a few persons to make the country ungovernable for President Jonathan.”       
The group in a statement on Sunday, signed by Ambassador Matthew Mbu, Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte (retd) and Dr. Kalada Iruenabere, described Boko Haram as a political tool in the hands of a small group of “power merchants and economic parasites,” seeking to achieve their earlier threat made during the struggle for Jonathan’s presidency to destabilise the nation.

“SSPA does not believe that the Boko Haram of today is the offshoot of the one crushed by the Yar’Adua administration. Rather, we are convinced that the name has become a metaphor for a more sophisticated struggle for political power. We dare say that it is a tool in the hands of those who threatened to make this country ungovernable and who lectured us on the inevitability of violent change in the heat of the struggle for the Jonathan presidency.

“Boko Haram cannot be pursuing a religious agenda. It should be obvious that exploding bombs in Abuja will do very little to advance the cause of its fanatical Islamic ideology. On the contrary, we are convinced that the group’s agenda, clearly that of its urbane sponsors, is to make the presidency of Goodluck Jonathan unworkable,”, it noted.
Meanwhile, a group of ex-militants from some Niger Delta communities yesterday stormed Abuja to seek involvement in the process of pipeline protection along the shorelines and other areas.

The group, comprising nine representatives of ex-militant groups from Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa, Ondo and Akwa Ibom states, were slated to meet with the Inspector General of police, Alhaji Hajia Ringim, by 3.pm yesterday in Abuja, to pave way for audience with the petroleum minister, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke.
Ringim, who confirmed the development to Daily Sun on telephone, said he was scheduled to meet with them at 3.pm, but referred our correspondent to the FCT police chief, Mike Zuokumor. “Yes, they are with Zuokumor, the CP FCT”, he responded in an SMS to Daily Sun enquires.

The FCT Police Commissioner confirmed that the youths were in his office. “They wanted to see the IG, but now they are with me. I do not know exactly what they want, but they are demanding to see the petroleum minister for discussion over oil pipeline protection issues”, he explained.

Source:  http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/aug/31/national-31-08-2011-06.html

Wrong move. When the militants were bombing and kidnapping people, did the northern people threaten war? As long as boko haram does not attact their land, they have no case for retaliation. What they should do is to support GEJ to take decisive action and then support him in whatever way if his powers as C IN C
is being compromised.

very good development. why should Nigeria remain as "ONE" for the benefit of few?

Abeg, they should go ahead and fight jare. Massob and Opc should also join. This might be the quickest way to desolve this country.

Afam please keep OPC out of this. We are not suppose to fight for the clueless president ibos stuff ballot boxes with billions of ballot papers illegally thumbprinted. YORUBAs will manage their own affairs themselves if there is need to secede which of course there is but not in liason with backstabbers. Let everybody bear his papas name please

Their statement is not unexpected, considering the origin of this crisis. However the dissolution of the country is not the answer. If the country separates into smaller states who can guarantee that the same small circle of devils making the country a living hell today will not continue the same pattern of corruption, violence, cronyism etc that we have always faced. In 1999 I was certain that with democracy nigeria would become paradise again but everyone can see how wrong that notion was. Besides do you think such separation NOW will not claim thousands or even hundreds of thousands of lives. Strong leadership is what we need and most importantly a sovereign conferencen then we can decide if we want to stay or split

These so-called Ijaw militants na complete "jew men" looking for how to extort money from Jonathan.Rivers State and Delta States only have marginal Ijaw populations and should be left out of this tribalistic Ijaw "jew men" meetings.The Niger Delta youths know all of you and your day of reckoning is not far.

We will start taking them serious if and only if they create one suicide bomber

Who are they going to fight and how are they going to retaliate? If Boko Haram should bomb borno or Abuja, how are they going to retaliate? Bomb oil installations in the Niger delta or bomb northerners living in the Niger Delta?

Justcash:


A source close to the meetings in the Niger Delta said appropriate measures to counter the heightening “threat from some elements in the North, including the return of fire-for-fire” were being considered, although the response would not be immediate, but spontaneous. He also said a move towards secession might as well be on the cards.

Buyahauaahaha! Bunch of cowards, whose wicked/devilish parents capitulated at the mere sight of drunken northern soldiers in 1966-1970, phucken abandon property chasers. I welcome their quest for secession, but these so called minorities of the phantom SS should realise that they're on their own. They allied with their fellow yorobu cowards and should call on the yorobu for help if they're considering war.
As one who have an axe to grind, I will not hesitate to offer my services to the army in order to keep these clowns in the dungeon called nigeria. Meanwhile, sai one nigeria!

The fact that this is even being discussed is a proof that nigeria is very sick and nearing death.

If anything happens to Jonathan, even if it is malaria tha kills him, it will be blamed on the North.

Abagworo:

These so-called Ijaw militants na complete "jew men" looking for how to extort money from Jonathan.Rivers State and Delta States only have marginal Ijaw populations and should be left out of this tribalistic Ijaw "jew men" meetings.The Niger Delta youths know all of you and your day of reckoning is not far.

You think its only Ijaw people? You are funny.

wirinet:

Who are they going to fight and how are they going to retaliate? If Boko Haram should bomb borno or Abuja, how are they going to retaliate? Bomb oil installations in the Niger delta or bomb northerners living in the Niger Delta?

Funny question.

In simple words, boko haram might be getting their wish for their very own Somalia fulfilled quite early. They can prepare to pack their bags earlier than they estimated. Nobody is gonna be feeding them, while they and their admirers blow the place up; lets be reminded that others generated every kobo of the money they live on.

This is part of the reason I don't understand the mindset of these Northern politicians/military/intelligence dudes who have supported BH.

What exactly is BH fighting for? If Sharia in all of Nigeria or some sort of Islamic Republic in all of Nigeria, then you'll cause the country to be split apart. However, if this happens, doesn't this negatively affect the Northern power brokers who support BH?

The country is balanced on a precipice. In trying to use BH to "push" the country in a direction they find more desirable, they very well may cause it to fall off the cliff.

They should think through their actions a bit more and think about what the end game looks like.

Between this report and the WSJ journal article, it looks like BH is becoming closely linked to Al Qaeda.

If you are a Northern politician/insider with any brains, you should realize that Al Qaeda's objectives in Nigeria are not the same as your own. AQ probably would welcome Nigeria partitioning and the creation of some fundamentalist Islamic state. But if you are Northern politician, that is probably your worst nightmare.

How does that saying go, "He who rides a tiger cannot dismount". . .?

wirinet:

Wrong move. When the militants were bombing and kidnapping people, did the northern people threaten war? As long as boko haram does not attact their land, they have no case for retaliation. What they should do is to support GEJ to take decisive action and then support him in whatever way if his powers as C IN C
is being compromised.

Did the militants molest pr kill the northern prominent men in their states?

Boko haram are killing people from different tribes for what cause?

Are you saying that when militants bombed any oil installation or bombed warri, lagos or Assba, no northener or any other tribe was killed?

^
This is getting rather desperate.

How are militants going to counter Boko Haram exactly?
By killing more innocent people?
When did terrorist groups start caring about the killing of innocents?

ekt_bear:

They should think through their actions a bit more and think about what the end game looks like.

Between this report and the WSJ journal article, it looks like BH is becoming closely linked to Al Qaeda.

If you are a Northern politician/insider with any brains, you should realize that Al Qaeda's objectives in Nigeria are not the same as your own. AQ probably would welcome Nigeria partitioning and the creation of some fundamentalist Islamic state. But if you are Northern politician, that is probably your worst nightmare.

How does that saying go, "He who rides a tiger cannot dismount". . .?

more or less the same way mend was midwifed. ss politicians arming youths for their own political ends.

Beaf:

Funny question.

In simple words, boko haram might be getting their wish for their very own Somalia fulfilled quite early. They can prepare to pack their bags earlier than they estimated. Nobody is gonna be feeding them, while they and their admirers blow the place up; lets be reminded that others generated every kobo of the money they live on.

Maybe you can shed more light on this.

1. Boko Haram stated numerously that its goal was to bring nothern states under a complete sharia governmental system in opposed to the Nigerian Federal Governemental system(secular and non-slamic). With this being said and now that it is agreed that IBB,Atiku, and Buhari are the sponsors, how would  blowing up the UN building help there goal of making northern nigeria sharia compliant? Lets also take into consideration that they also said they are not avocates of secession from nigeria.

2. Boko Haram are avocates of the strict following of Islamic law. They called for a cease fire before Ramadan. In the quran it states that even in war when at war you stop the retaliatory tactics and stop warring to observe the holy month of ramadan. With that being said, why would you believe that they will wait till a few days before the holy month is over to blow up the UN building?

3. The FBI was used some time back to probe the Jos bombings, i know you havent forgotten that. Why havent we gotten any word out of that? No "findings", nothing. WHen did they leave? Why weren't the Israeli intellegence called in since every mission that they were called in to handle have been a success? Why did FBI go for almost 100% control of the happening? Since the UN was attacked wouldn't make more since to allow or call in others(Israel) to add addition intelligence help? It kind of seems more like one party is out for its interest in this happening and asked for the erradication of any other influences in the investigation, at least that is what one may think.

You see to have some link to the Jonathan administration and i think you a politician as well. I'm suspecting you may actually be Omokri. The characteristics are just too strong to ignore. Not saying you are though. But if you are, maybe you can shed some light on somethings.

wirinet:

Are you saying that when militants bombed any oil installation or bombed warri, lagos or Assba, no northener or any other tribe was killed?

Bombed Asaba, gini? Wen did this happen?

Beaf:

You think its only Ijaw people? You are funny.

According to reports Ijaw was specifically mentioned.That alone has fragmented and tribalised the whole issue.But then the issue is that those involved in the meeting are the enemies of the Niger Deltans and are part of those that imprisoned Henry Okah and killed John Togo.They don't know how hated they are in Niger Delta.

Abagworo:

According to reports Ijaw was specifically mentioned.That alone has fragmented and tribalised the whole issue.But then the issue is that those involved in the meeting are the enemies of the Niger Deltans and are part of those that imprisoned Henry Okah and killed John Togo.They don't know how hated they are in Niger Delta.

You got jokes.

na wa o, so you did not know that militants bombed government house in Asaba on Nov 3, 2010. Where have you been?

Chyz*:

Maybe you can shed more light on this.

1. Boko Haram stated numerously that its goal was to bring nothern states under a complete sharia governmental system in opposed to the Nigerian Federal Governemental system(secular and non-slamic). With this being said and now that it is agreed that IBB,Atiku, and Buhari are the sponsors, how would  blowing up the UN building help there goal of making northern nigeria sharia compliant? Lets also take into consideration that they also said they are not avocates of secession from nigeria.

[s]2. Boko Haram are avocates of the strict following of Islamic law. They called for a cease fire before Ramadan. In the quran it states that even in war when at war you stop the retaliatory tactics and stop warring to observe the holy month of ramadan. With that being said, why would you believe that they will wait till a few days before the holy month is over to blow up the UN building?

3. The FBI was used some time back to probe the Jos bombings, i know you havent forgotten that. Why havent we gotten any word out of that? No "findings", nothing. WHen did they leave? Why weren't the Israeli intellegence called in since every mission that they were called in to handle have been a success? Why did FBI go for almost 100% control of the happening? Since the UN was attacked wouldn't make more since to allow or call in others(Israel) to add addition intelligence help? It kind of seems more like one party is out for its interest in this happening and asked for the erradication of any other influences in the investigation, at least that is what one may think.

You see to have some link to the Jonathan administration and i think you a politician as well. I'm suspecting you may actually be Omokri. The characteristics are just too strong to ignore. Not saying you are though. But if you are, maybe you can shed some light on somethings.[/s]

The sponsors of boko haram created a monster that is now out of control and about to swallow them up as well. That answers the the uncancelled paragraph. The cancelled bits are more like some wacky conspiracy tosh.

wirinet:

na wa o, so you did not know that militants bombed government house in Asaba on Nov 3, 2010. Where have you been?

Na wa o

Abagworo:

According to reports Ijaw was specifically mentioned.That alone has fragmented and tribalised the whole issue.But then the issue is that those involved in the meeting are the enemies of the Niger Deltans and are part of those that imprisoned Henry Okah and killed John Togo.They don't know how hated they are in Niger Delta.

gbamm +1000

Chyz*:

Bombed Asaba, gini? Wen did this happen?

2010

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201011043422046

u see

Beaf:

The sponsors of boko haram created a monster that is now out of control and about to swallow them up as well. That answers the the uncancelled paragraph. The cancelled bits are more like some wacky conspiracy tosh.

Please, lets not use the "conspiracy theory" escape route again. There's nothing wrong if you can't answer the question, or dont want to reveal anything. Just say so. It's not by force. Also, why call it a conspiracy theory? It is just "trying to connect the dots through questions". We read and have read many articles on NL for us to be abled to ask question as such. Nothing wrong with that. I hope you're not suggesting we just take "As Is" information that is fed to us just because its from a particular body? Are we dogs?

alj_harem:

2010

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201011043422046

u see

Thanks Alhaji . I remember this one now. This is why we need Anioma State.

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