Menders and Avengers of the Niger Delta

A national newspaper reported yesterday that the federal government had established contact with the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), an armed group that has been carrying out a devastating and costly attack on Nigeria’s oil assets since February this year. Nigeria’s hope for a rise in the price of crude oil in the international market became […]

A national newspaper reported yesterday that the federal government had established contact with the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), an armed group that has been carrying out a devastating and costly attack on Nigeria’s oil assets since February this year. Nigeria’s hope for a rise in the price of crude oil in the international market became a reality but in an ironic twist, the country did not benefit from this because the price appreciated at the expense of the country whose supplies were crippled by the NDA.
The Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta has consistently pooh-poohed the latest round of hostilities unleashed by the NDA as self-serving and called for its cessation. MEND’s active involvement in the search for solution to the current round of sabotage of the country’s oil exports is constructive. MEND is the most enlightened group among the Niger Delta militant groups. It pioneered the destruction of gas and oil facilities, the kidnap of oil workers and other acts of sabotage in Niger Delta in 2009 or so. MEND’s media statements signed mostly by Jomo Gbomo were almost always accurately and lucidly written. Therefore, the news report that MEND has already established a negotiating team with the federal government to thrash out the issues and the group’s call on the NDA to join them at the table is a welcome development. It is also a bold move on which a long term foundation for societal peace may be laid.
First of all, this campaign of sabotage of oil and gas infrastructure embarked upon by the NDA is an ill wind that blows nobody any good; it has worsened the economy and caused incalculable amount of suffering for the entire citizens of the country. It has exacerbated shortage of foreign exchange, contributed to the collapse of foreign reserves and shrunk the amount of money available for the payment of salaries and basic services. How do they expect the government to run or survive? If this sabotage continues, there will be chaos and not even those who enthroned it will escape the negative consequences.
Nevertheless, I think we have come to a point where Nigeria has to make significant concessions to the people of Niger Delta in terms of resource allocation. I think that for the foreseeable future, resource control will remain with the federal government. However, just as MEND in the past and NDA now have demonstrated their capacity to cripple the country’s economy by shutting down oil wells and export infrastructure, they have to also accept that perhaps for the first time, in Buhari, Nigeria has found a sincere leader willing to ensure that Nigeria’s oil wealth is enjoyed by the generality of its citizens. If they allow the oil to flow and is sold at the international market at reasonable price, Buhari will achieve in three years what President Goodluck Jonathan couldn’t do in 6 years.
By now, Buhari should be willing to consider increase in derivation percentage for the oil rich states from the current 13% to something like 17% as recommended by the so called national conference. It is up to the President to send a bill to the National Assembly to get them to increase derivation to do so. Current circumstances require that he makes such concession.
Be that as it may, some of the demands put forward by the NDA and its allies are unrealistic. As MEND observed, the call for the release of Sambo Dasuki and Nnamdi Kanu as well as the de-freezing of bank accounts and dropping of court charges against Tompolo and other accused persons demonstrates that rather than being original and faithful to the greater agenda of redeeming Niger Delta, NDA actually comes across as a ragdoll of some criminal section of the elite. What business has someone demanding a country for Niger Delta have with the release from detention of Sambo Dasuki, a Fulani man? Or is Dasuki a Niger Deltan? There is only one possible explanation for NDA’s demand for the release of Dasuki: they miss the free money he gave them while he served as National Security Adviser.
NDA’s demand for the retention of the so called Maritime University in Okerenkoko also shows it is in cahoots with Tompolo, currently the biggest beneficiary of its proposed erection having pocketed the money for the land on which it was to be located. Must this university be established in Delta State? The federal government can decide to upgrade Oron Maritime Academy to a university or is Akwa Ibom not part of Niger Delta?
The NDA must not distract President Muhammadu Buhari from the fight against corruption. They should understand that Buhari’s resolve to enthrone a new culture of prudence and accountability in handling public funds is in the interest of everyone. It is not the quantum of resources at the disposal of Niger Delta or their governors that is at issue; it is the use to which those resources are put. As long as the resources are managed by people who siphon them, Niger Delta will remain poor. So, Buhari needs everyone’s support to kill corruption before corruption kills our country.
The NDA must hearken to the wise counsel that it negotiates with the government in the interest of those it claims to fight for. As former rebel leader, Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu, realised rather too late, blusters don’t win war. Although those behind NDA are faceless now, eventually they will be unmasked and I just hope they will not shout genocide when they come face to face with Nigeria’s military might. Except those who scream “negotiate with Avengers” bring those misguided chaps to the negotiating table, blood may further pollute the oil and waters of Nigeria’s troubled Delta.