We are ready for war - Militants

This is coming few days after Buhari's meeting with Niger Delta elders on Tuesday, November 1, 2016.

The Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate (NDGJM) has threatened to blow up more crude oil facilities in the Niger Delta.

The militant group also claimed responsibility for the destruction of the Trans-Forcados Crude Export pipelines in Warri South-West Council Area of Delta State.

The NGDJM described the meeting of the Niger Delta elders as a humiliation of the people of the oil rich region, and also said that they are ready to go to war.

This is following an announcement by the Minister of state for petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, that Nigeria’s crude oil production has increased.

The militant group also accused President Buhari of planning a full scale war against the Niger Delta people.

The NDGJM, in a statement signed by its spokesman, Aldo Agbalaja, said “As a matter of fact, what the Avengers did to the oil industry will be nothing compared to the grand plan already set by our central command. We shall bring Nigeria’s daily output quota to below 500,000 barrels. Just be ready for the approaching tsunami.

“The multinational oil companies, we know you are recalcitrant and will always come to test wills, we hope you will continue in this tradition so there will always be reason to let the world know that ‘you don’t contest the corners of a house with the owner of the house.’

“The destruction of the Trans-Forcados Pipeline is just a warning. We warned against the restarting of the facility, but the daring companies won’t listen. That shadow operation that brought the TFP down was only meant to let these companies know that we aren’t kidding with them; when we say stay down, you stay down, and it’s in your best interest.

The humiliation that came with the meeting of the elders with President Muhammadu Buhari did not come to the NDGJM as a surprise. We expected it because we know even the government knows the character and intent of the man and most of those he led to the meeting.

“The only painful part is the fact that the humiliation is stamped on the collective image of our people. However, we want to dare President Buhari and his administration to attempt or fully carry out his military action against our people and see the response that will follow.

“We want to say here, without mincing words, that we are aware of his intentions. We heard loud and clear his hostile message, we understand his message and the NDGJM is saying we are ready for him. We know he has reportedly threatened war on our people; we had been calm enough not to respond to the threats, but at this point, we believe it is time for us to come out to say to him ‘enough is enough.’

“If it is war, bring it on, we are no cowards, just be sure you can sustain the consequences because this is not going to be another vanquished ‘Biafran Uprising’. Niger Deltans are nobody’s slaves; we shall fight until there’s nothing left to defend.”

Reports say other militant groups in the Niger Delta have also complained that their interests were not fully articulated by the elders during the meeting with Buhari.

In a bid to find a lasting solution to the problems in the Niger Delta, President Buhari met elders from the oil rich region on Tuesday, November 1, 2016.