Fidelia Okafor.

Four militant groups in the Niger Delta region have warned oil companies operating in the region to suspend production until the conclusion of dialogue with the government.

In a statement on Sunday, the agitators warned of severe consequences should the oil firms fail to heed their warning.

The militant groups include, Adaka Boro Avengers, Niger Delta Creek Warriors, Ogunuma Camp of Niger Delta and Niger Delta Revolutionary Crusaders.

The statement signed by self-styled General Edmos Ayayeibo (Adaka Boro Avengers), General Woi Izon-Ebi (Niger Delta Revolutionary Crusaders), General Christ Etarotu (Niger Delta Creek Warriors) and General Akpaingolo Yins (Ogunuma Camp of Niger Delta), on behalf of agitators also demanded the Pan-Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, to stop negotiating with the Federal Government on behalf of the region.

According to the statement, ‘’The Federal Government of Nigeria has taken the people of the Niger Delta region as blind people. The Niger Delta region has been ripped off. Up till now, none of the demands of the Niger Delta people to the Presidency has been implemented.

“The Vice President who toured the Niger Delta region has not fulfilled any of the promises he made. Our resources are being used to finance projects in the North and West. Up till now, our boys are still in the custody of the Federal Government, detained without trial. Several Niger Delta activists and agitators, like Alex Odogu, Ebiware, Aboy Muturu, Bounanaowei Smith, Ezekiel Daniel, Monday Ebimene and Churchill Oghoneye are still being detained by the Federal Government.’’

The agitators’ described the recent tour of the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo to the region as political jamboree.

Noting that Osinbajo did not visit areas that needed to be developed, they said: ‘’Why did the acting President not tour the oil producing communities to see how these people are suffering. The people need good roads, railway, water, good hospitals and jobs. What has the Federal Government done to the black carbon emissions emanating from oil companies?

“Right from the ceasefire agreement reached by the various agitators in the Niger Delta and the Federal Government on the ground that the Federal Government will set up a dialogue committee, up till now the Federal government has no plan to set up any dialogue process.

‘’For reasons stated above, we hereby call on all the multinational oil companies operating in the Niger Delta to cease operation for now in their own interest. They should cease operation forthwith until matters of the Niger Delta region are addressed.

“We also call on PANDEF to hands off issues of the Niger Delta region because nothing tangible has been achieved by PANDEF in its mediation with the Federal Government on behalf of the Niger Delta region.”