A group of Niger Delta militants, on Monday, threatened retaliation
against the Boko Haram sect if it refused to stop its violent activities
within 14 days.
The Ohanaeze Indigbo has also told the Boko Haram sect to stop all its violent activities, saying enough is enough.
The Ijaw militants, under the aegis of a little known Ijaw Joint
Revolutionary Council, in a statement posted on the internet on Monday
and signed by four of its leaders, warned that the effects of the
violent activities of Boko Haram would not "skip the homes and interests
of their promoters, active and passive."
The statement was signed by "General" Okin Sele (Bazoka Boys of Niger
Delta), "General" Elvis Tenten (Water-force of Izon land), "General"
Kurumah (The Strike Force of Izon land), and "General" Abu Mic
(Barkoromo Ogbo of Niger Delta).
The statement decried what it called deliberate acts of violence
targeted at discrediting President Goodluck Jonathan, but added that the
nation stood to gain a lot if peace was allowed to reign.
It noted what it described as "the present Boko Haram merciless
bombing in the country without verifiable developmental agitation," and
demanded that the continuous killings in the North “should stop
forthwith." They stressed that it was not possible "to run Nigeria by
sectarian dictation."
"In the event of a failed state," the statement warned, “all those
Nigerians pretending to possess two heads, and currently cruising around
in limousines and jetting about the globe will be grounded. Why can’t
we live in peace?"
The group added that if peace was rejected as a basis for national
cohesion, "why can’t we go our separate ways by amicable agreement?
Boko Haram may have its origins from wherever it likes. Its wild
excesses are essentially a reaction to the presidential ascendancy of Dr
Goodluck Jonathan. It has its sponsors and financiers. If we are
actually one Nigeria, why won’t we allow other geopolitical zones to
rule the country?
"Saudi Arabia is the centre of the Islamic faith, yet, there was not
even a single killing of Christian faithful in that country. Why all
these killings of National Youth Service Corps members and other
innocent citizens in reaction to Goodluck Jonathan’s presidential
victory?," the statement queried.
The group warned that "if (there are)further killings by Boko Haram
as a result of Goodluck Jonathan’s presidency in the country within 14
days of this statement," they would not hesitate to take very drastic
action from the Niger Delta against the interests of backers of Boko
Haram. "If they don’t want peace we will meet them wherever they are.
This is our message,” they said.
Meanwhile, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has urged members of the Boko Haram sect
to sheathe their swords and table whatever grievances they might have at
the appropriate quarters.
Chairman of Ohanaeze, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter, Mr
Nwabueze Obi, made the call in Abuja, on Monday, at a press conference
held to commemorate the 2011 Igbo Day.
Obi, who said hunger and social injustice were some of the factors
that might make people to take arms against their country, stressed that
these gross injustices were a time bomb that could lead to an explosive
situation.
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