LAGOS, Nigeria — The improvised economic violence committed against the state by militants, persist with a renewed attack on oil installations. An oil pipeline managed in Delta State, southern part of the country by Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) was blown up on September 29, 2016.
When contacted about reasons for the armed movement’s latest resurgence, a source in the region who pleaded anonymity told Armed Politics: “Rather than being seen as a negotiation which should integrate and seek to address grievance of many militant groups in the Niger Delta, the August 2016 ceasefire agreement which was held between government delegates and monarchs, including a few political leaders failed to involve the region’s key militant elements, and the result is continued attacks.”
In the aftermath of the ceasefire, a respected leader in the Niger Delta, Chief Edwin Clark reached out leaders of various groups, urging them to embrace the peace process.
Claiming responsibility for the attack, the spokesperson of a newly-formed armed group, NDGJM, General Aldo Agbalaja, stated: “As a mark of our commitment to a just cause and to prove to the wicked and ungrateful multinational oil companies and their Nigerian military allies, the Opudo Strike Team of the Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate, at about 1:00am on September 29, 2016, bombed the Unenurhie-Evwreni delivery line in Ughelli South/North respectively operated by NPDC.”
Meanwhile, NDGJM has refused to engage in any dialogue with the Federal Government. It earlier this week emphasised: “Until we see a sincere and genuine step towards a just and equitable mending of the injustices of all the years done to our people, this war shall persist.”
(Reporting by Adedayo Osho; Editing by Robyn Hunter & Malik Achakzai)
