AHEAD of the 2011 polls in Nigeria, a new militant group has sprang
up in the volatile Niger Delta area, with a seeming vicious political
agenda.

Spokesperson of the new group, Wilson Amaebim, an Ijaw, told
AkanimoReports on Friday that the name of the organisation is
Revolutionary Army of Niger Delta (RAND).

But, this insurgent group appears to be obviously against the
presidential ambition of former military ruler, Ibrahim Babangida.

They have therefore warned that they will go after all those pushing
for Babangida in the oil and gas region.

It was not immediately known whether this emerging terrorist group
has any links with the Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC), an
insurgent network that on Thursday, declared Chief Raymond
Dokpesi, the Director-General of Babangida Campaign
Organisation, a personna non grata in the troubled region.

Spokesperson fr the JRC, Cynthia Whyte, in an on-line statement
said Dokpesi, who owns an independent broadcasting empire, was
no longer welcomed in the regin where he hails.

In the mean time, RAND is claiming that the former military ruler is
the worst of all the presidential aspirants who have emerged so far
and that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will lose the oil-
producing states of the Niger Delta if the party throws up Babangida
as their presidential flag-bearer.

''It is no lame threat, quote me, we will ensure that the PDP fails in
the Niger Delta if Babangida emerges as their presidential
candidate. There is no basis fr a self-confessed 'evil genius' to seek
to lead Nigeria again'', the militant group said.

Adding, they said, ''our 100 per cent support is for President
Goodluck Jonathan and we are prepared to crush anybody or
group who want to stand on his way. To be forewarned is to be
forearmed''.

RAND says they have cells across the oil region, and that members
are mainly from the ranks of aggrieved ex-militants.

http://www.africanexaminer.com/new_militants02