Tension as more Niger Delta militants end ceasefire, begin ‘Operation Show-No-Mercy’

macfranc007 November 05, 2017 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Nigerian newspapers 24/7 Akinyemi Akinrujomu

- The militants say the declaration of fresh attacks on oil pipelines is because the federal government did not keep its promise

- Militant leader Duku claimed that the government did not 'have the interest of the Niger Delta at heart'

- The Coalition's declaration came just about 24 hours after Avengers ended it's ceasfire agreement with the government

A joint body of Niger Delta militants have backed the declaration of an end to ceasefire in the creeks and declared their readiness to renew attacks as well.

The Punch reports that the militants under the umbrella of Coalition of Niger Delta Militants said on Saturday, November 4 that they are ready to resume their Operation show-no-mercy that involves attacking oil installations in the oil-rich south-south region.

The Coalition’s leader John Duku said in a statement that the decision was “because the Federal Government does not have the interest of the Niger Delta at heart.”

He added: “All the militants groups in the Niger Delta met today (Saturday) and we have issued a directive that we should go back to our different states, to do everything possible to cripple all the (oil) installations.

“We are going to resume attacks and this time around, it is not going to be business as usual. We have already agreed that when we move in, it will be ‘Operation No Mercy’. Anything we find on our way, there would be no option but to crush it.

“It is not only the installations; we are also going to shut down the offices of each of the oil companies. It is high time the Niger Delta people worked together and declared a Niger Delta Republic. We will be on our own and manage our resources.

“We had already embraced peace. We had already announced ceasefire before the Operation Crocodile Smile came. The exercise (Operation Crocodile Smile) was done in collaboration with top oil firm directors.

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“The Operation Crocodile Smile was unnecessary because, there was no crisis in the Niger Delta. But because we insisted the oil companies should relocate their headquarters to Niger Delta before October, the oil companies connived with the cabal in government and they brought the Nigerian Army to the Niger Delta to intimidate us.

“The directive on the relocation of oil companies’ headquarters came from the Vice-President, but they (oil companies) refused to relocate. Government should have used the money spent on Operation Crocodile Smile for the development of Niger Delta.”

The Coalition's declaration came just hours after Niger Delta Avengers also announced an end to its ceasefire agreement with the Nigerian government.

NAIJ.com had reported that Avengers called off the ceasefire agreement with the federal government in a statement posted on its website on Friday, November 3.

In the statement, it also vowed to resume attacks on oil installations any day from now.

According to its spokesperson named Mudoch Agbinibo, all its operatives across the country have been counted and are ready to carry out directives from its high command in the coming days.

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