The United Niger Delta Energy Development Security Strategy, UNDEDSS, on Tuesday, warned that it should not be dragged into any secession plan saying “when necessary, the Niger Delta will be free to decide if it wants to continue to be a part of Nigeria or not.”
In a statement by its Executive Secretary, Tony Uranta, UNDEDSS also called on the National Assembly to step down the Water Resources Amendments Bill saying it is an attempt to steal the Niger Delta’s ancestral lands and waters.”
The statement reads: “In pursuant of the Niger Delta’s position during last night’s raucous nationwide virtual meeting of emancipation groups and other relevant delegates, the United Niger Delta Energy Development Security Strategy, UNDEDSS, hereby, declares that:
“No one individual or group can claim to be speaking for the six states that comprise the South-South Zone of Nigeria, and in any way or manner compel the region to be part of Biafra, or Oodua, or any other grouping outside of Nigeria. Only PANDEF, led by Ambassador E. K. Clark, can call for an extraordinary meeting at which such a weighty decision can be taken, if at all.
We reiterate: “Going forward, any maps that deem to drag Niger Delta waters and lands into anything other than Nigeria, shall be deemed to be intentionally actioned against the Niger Delta until an Extraordinary Meeting of PANDEF declares otherwise.
“When necessary, the Niger Delta will be free to decide if it wants to continue to be a part of Nigeria or not; and, the whole world will then know of its decision either way.
“The ongoing insidious attempt to steal the Niger Delta’s ancestral lands and waters, via the infernally conceived Water Resources Amendments Bill still in the National Assembly, must cease immediately or said action shall be perceived as an act of war by Nigerian politicians (including the so-far impotent Niger Delta politicians in the National Assembly) against Nigeria, especially the Niger Delta.
“The Niger Delta demands that the lottery of our peoples’ commonwealth ends forthwith, beginning with an immediate killing off of the latest Ministry of Petroleum’s obnoxiously proposed N700billion for a Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) of PH Refinery. UNDEDSS knows that this is a bid to, corruptly loot Niger Delta monies, just as the past putative TAMs have been unmonitored conduits for unabated looting.
“The Niger Delta demands that the Federal Government immediately convenes a National Security Roundtable before the end of March, to tackle the ongoing insecurity of persons, foods and territories; and, avoid what could end up in Nigeria experiencing a Somalia-cum-Libya here, nationwide.”
UNDEDSS does not ask for any response from the federal government, but will take appropriate actions in the event that the Federal Government does not do what is right regarding above-listed five positions.”