The Niger Delta Avengers in a bid to make the federal government respond to its demand has been blowing up gas and fuel pipelines in the region.
In this opinion, I am point out that the damage and danger that such actions posit and that the people living in the region are going to suffer the degradation of the land. I am warning that the action is likely to cause more harm than good as there are other ways to make demands.

Never a worst time

This is really the worst of times for Nigeria. Niger Delta Avengers is a new group of militants that the country is today faced with. For the past few weeks, they have bombed critical oil and gas installations in the Niger Delta, and thrown the national economy into a crippling shock. The core reason they are more destructive and of deep concern to the government is the plain fact that they are hitting at the heart of the country’s primary source of income.
Although Nigeria has had a fair share of militants in that region especially between 2005 and 2009 when the government came up with the amnesty programme, there is something that strikes a chilling note in this new militant group. From the accounts of oil workers who witnessed them in action, they seem more interested in inflicting maximum damage to the tools and property used in oil production than in (psychologically) harming or kidnapping oil workers – the major tactic of former Niger Delta militants.
A particular oil worker who relocated to Abuja after experiencing firsthand the attack of the new militants in his oil platform, recounted how the Avengers carefully evacuated the oil workers and staff from the rig before placing explosives on the oil installations and blowing them up.
It seems they set out to inflict maximum harm not only on the property of the workers but on the Niger Delta environment. This new group seems to be making a statement for everybody to see: We shall destroy our land to show that you have been unfair to our land!
This is the signature of eco-terrorism. I recall that in 1984, a group with a similar name with the Niger Delta Avengers wreaked havoc in Hardesty, a United States of America community. It called itself the Hardesty Avengers.

Terror and damage to mother earth

Eco-terrorism means violence done to persons and/or their property in the name of the environment or to support environmental causes. It should not be confused with environmental terrorism. The Hardesty Avengers spiked hundreds of trees in the Hardesty Mountain portion of the Willamette National Forest, Western Oregon. Their grouse was that their community and its environment were being harmed by the American government and the tourism industry. The government had to put a reward on the Avengers, but up till now no one was arrested for the crime.
Eco-terrorism is defined by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation as “the use or threatened use of violence of a criminal nature against people or property by an environmentally oriented, subnatinal group for environmental-political reasons, or aimed at an audience beyond the target, often of a symbolic nature.” In America, eco-terrorists have used tree spiking, arson, and murder to express their grudges; it is estimated that the US government has lost close to half a billion dollars in property damage as a result of eco-terrorism.
Granted, the Niger Delta Avengers has given the government conditions for ending attacks and most of them are not related to environmental causes, but we can safely assume that every agitation from the Niger Delta region revolves around environmental justice. Nevertheless, Nigeria being what it is, every other kind of leaves and sheets – from politics to crime – are packed inside the region’s eco-portfolio.
In this wise, the only germane demand from the Avengers’ ten conditions to the Federal Government is the number six demand which says: “Ogoniland and all oil polluted lands in the Niger Delta must be cleaned up, while compensation should be paid to all oil producing communities”.
However, it will be naïve to assume that the environmental demand is the core of the Avengers’ grouse because one will be reminded that the present administration has already commenced the process of cleaning the polluted Ogoniland. The story is also twisted when we remember that the immediate past administration was headed by a son of the Niger Delta, who would have naturally pushed all the region’s demands as his administration’s priority policies and projects. But he did not.

It then means that we are now left in a complex situation, where every eco-terrorist strategy seems to be coloured with hidden agenda and ethno-political intrigue.
This is not good neither for the Niger Delta region nor the country, because eco-terrorism spoils everything. It is the mother of all terrorism.

The danger lurking in the shadows

The danger with eco-destructive weapons is that they turn battle into deliberate cauldron, and convert war into an Armageddon. It is against the law of nature; against the philosophy of human survival. This is why the world never allows biological and chemical weapons to be used in conflict theatres. The world never allows destruction of heritage sites. The world consciously ended the nuclear arms race because of the unimaginable impact atomic bombs has on the eco-system – permanent and hellish.
As determined eco-terrorists, the Avengers could end the survival of the Niger Delta environment by their attacks. The oil spill, gas leaks and GHG emissions from the onslaught could spell extinction for the region’s flora and fauna.
The people of the Niger Delta have suffered enough deprivation, environmental injustice and neglect even from its own elite class. These folk should not be subjected to more pollution of their air, land and water.
I am aware that the bombing of Forcados pipeline, Bonga Oil field, Chevron trunk lines and other oil and gas installations could draw immediate attention to the Avengers, but these will draw more ecological hazard to the region. UNEP says Ogoni land would take more than 30 years to clean up; therefore incurring more pollution on the Niger Delta extends the sickly years of the region and shortens the life span of every child born in the “avenged enclaves.”

The future

At the end of the day, not even all the money of the world can meet the demands of the eco-terrorists.
My thoughts are that our major problem as a nation cannot be solved through insurgency or militancy. This will be doing more injustice to the already-suffering masses. The problem with Nigeria is that we lack a sense of ownership of the Nigerian project. We see ourselves in many lights and colours, but never as Nigerians.

I have heard a taxi man lament that if he had some other country to run to and become her citizen, he would. But he never gave a thought to the reality of helping to change his own environment in whatever little way he could. When I suggested that, he just sighed and grumbled in pidgin English, “No be their country be this? Na my own? If you be Nigerian, u go know wetin I mean.”
I think it is time our present leaders thought up strategies to make Nigerians believe in the idea of Nigeria. Without believing in Nigeria, how can one trust its leaders, and how can one safeguard its environment? And by the way, what would stop one from blowing things up when he feels they are not his own?

This article expresses the authors’ opinion only

God Please Help WaZoBia not to be Bad.

NIGERIA SHOULD JUST LEARN TO BE TAKE CAUTION AND ACT WISELY

Great article!!
Cc: severussnape.

KahlDrogo:
Great article!!
Cc: severussnape.

It's indeed great. Mr. Omenka, It is.

Oil has become irrelevant and our economy has moved from oil dependent to Agriculture - Zombies

Nice thoughts. The government should take the economy off oil and accelerate the move to agriculture.

Enough of this nonsense.

Let the Niger delta control their resources and give the federal govt 13%

Let us wise up,we all saw how wike and aregbesola were joking during the governors forum.This is a game to them.Like Game of thrones,Enemies come together to defeat certain group(This case?ACN,CPC,APGA all coming 2gether to defeat PDP).People fron the same group can also betray one another,like when Bolton stabbed Rob Stark in the back chest(This case? Pdp members coming to APC,saraki and co.)My point ? The same people still govern us Again and Again.
It is seriously heartbreaking to see that many people appreciate what is happening in the niger delta.Some call it liberation.Pls what is liberating about it,These people are destroying the little things we are managing to atleast survive in this corrupt country(Not an APC or PDP fan).They wont stop bombing and our Daura president who i see as Sturborn wont also give them wat they want,Who continues to suffer? We the bloody civilians of course.Funny thing, i dont see any serious person the PDP are willing to nominate to tackle Mr. President come 2019(Fayose ? ),well lets wait till then.Then what ?,Anoda person enters after sweet campaign and sugar coated lies(After which they tell us,they met d country in a state they never imagined).This new person has two options,Continue fighting dem(i.e Niger millitants) or give ammnesty.If he does the former We continue to suffer and if he does the later,how many years will it take for anoda group to come 2geder all in the name of our "Oil"(whereas there is an hidden agender,they know they will later get ammnesty).Then the Lagos people too that av heard that oil too is already floating on their land will come with their own Demands(Trust me,Lagos Boys matter will actually be much worse than that of 9ja delta people).
What Did we achieve under obasanjo ?(Telephone i think ,And he increased the oil money shortly b4 vacating his post)
Under Yar'Adua nko(R.I.P.):He said he came wif 7 points agenda or what sef ? Within the two years or three we saw nofin.His vice didnt continue fron there and they say have plans for us(Nigerians)
Jonathan nko:Our security flaws was opened to the world during this tenure by the Abducion of chibok girls,he also did the subsidy stuff,we had to buy fuel for #150,tgen after all the hues and cries he reduced it to 97 then 87 shortly b4 leaving the post.
*Buhari is here again and all i see is a stuborn man in his 70's trying to make sure things turn out the way he wants(By force by Fire,BTW i voted for him),Focusing on corruption while everything else is going down the drain.Busy fighting Boko,Niger delta millitants,Dasuki,Metuh,Saraki(Not sure) while the latest Gold in town is Tomatoe.The fuc.king truth is dasuki aint going to jail,saraki aint going to jail(Probably resign which I also doubt),metuh aint going to jail(D guy don dey abroad now 4 fake medical enjoyment treatment,Kanu will probably also be realeased after many of his rights has been violated within and outside custody(D guy sef don dey pity himself).so WTF are you doing Baba,Mai writeup sef dey shake as d boi don dey battle wif hunger(English don change to Pidgin).Bottom line,The fight is in our hands,we are so gullible in this country that I wonder and come to the conclusion that people that av sinned seriously in the past life were piled 2gether and dumped here in this place we call home.
Come 2019,i predict that buhari will win again and the cycle might continue except he CHANGE.Thats just my mind.mess Obasanjo,R.I.P Yar'Adua(He did no wrong),Fuc.k Jonathan like seriously(somewhere sipping tea in ghist mode abi),Mr. President its rude but mess you too as long as you kontinue like dis.Chibok girls are been released day by day(Diaris God oo.)
Any Politician that has stolen from us in this country(God punish you too and you will Die horribly,i promise you that one).
Dis is just a hungry me talking.Peace Out

EasternActivist:
Let the Niger delta control their resources and give the federal govt 13%

that's the only way for peace and stability in this country.

NCP:
Nice thoughts. The government should take the economy off oil and accelerate the move to agriculture.

Enough of this nonsense.

I wish the FG will listen 2 u 4 a second. instead they've concentrated almost 80% of dia time & energy on oil.
I'm not surprised tho. A govt dat claims 2 wanna diversify, yet our President has bestowed on himself the Minister 4 Petroleum, instead of Agriculture or solid minerals. Wat does dat tell u?

oganology33:


I wish the FG will listen 2 u 4 a second. instead they've concentrated almost 80% of dia time & energy on oil.
I'm not surprised tho. A govt dat claims 2 wanna diversify, yet our President has bestowed on himself the Minister 4 Petroleum, instead of Agriculture or solid minerals. Wat does dat tell u?

It tells me that the President is after oyel and not diversification

What are you APC supporters complaining about? You people elected a buffoon of a president bereft of leadership qualities because of his "hard man" persona. The president came in and said he will "crush" everyone. Let him go and crush the Avengers. An incompetent fool of a president who thinks all problems are solved by the gun.

Wailers, ipob, NDA, bh all have one and the same agenda: to destroy this country. But God pass them.of all of them, the wailers are the most stupid sha. The others dont care, but wailers cant seem to get over 2015 elections. Theyare too consumed with hate to think rationally

Who is crying over spilt milk?
Let them destroy.
If this does not lead to a change of priorities, then Nigerian deserve to suffer

My question is this,
what happened to the cocoa, groundnuts, Timber, oil-palm, rubber, hide an skin, coal, limestone, tin, gold, gas, etc?
They no longer exist or what?

EasternLeopard:

It tells me that the President is after oyel and not diversification

**Right hand on ma left chest*** So Epp Us God!!!