By Our Correspondent
Ex-militant leaders in Bayelsa state have vowed to stop the spread of bombing of oil installations to the state by criminal elements. They have therefore warned members of the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) to steer clear of Bayelsa state as the ex-militant leaders would resist attack on oil installations in the state.
The ex-militants leaders while declaring that they would stamp out criminality from Bayelsa State, commended the Presidential Adviser on Niger Delta, Gen. Paul Boroh, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu and the Bayelsa state Government for their commitment to bringing sustainable peace in the state and the Niger Delta region at large.
In press statement issued by the ex-militant leaders led by General Africa Ukpariasa, General Pastor Reuben and the current local government caretaker committee chairman, Joshua Maciver after a meeting with the Minister of State, Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, the Presidential Adviser on Niger Delta, Gen. Paul Boroh, the Bayelsa state Governor, Henry Seriake Dickson and other stakeholders in the state, the ex-militant leaders agreed to work with the Federal and Bayelsa state governments as well as the security agencies to stamp-out criminality in the state and stop crimes such as pipeline vandalism, sea-piracy, kidnapping, armed robbery and other sundry crimes in the state.
According to the ex-militant leaders activities of the Niger Delta Avengers and other groups in the Niger Delta region were in no way aimed at advancing the interest of the people.
They reminded members of the NDA that “they signed a pact with the federal government in 2009 to drop their armed struggle and embrace peace”
The ex-militant leaders therefore warned that “what they are doing is in contravention of that pact and advised the NDA and other militant groups in the region to steer clear from Bayelsa state as they would henceforth make it their duty to police the creeks and the length and breadth of the state.”
The ex-militant leaders called on the federal government to bring meaningful development to the Niger Delta region to fore-stall such unwarranted blackmail and economic sabotage by groups under different names and guise.
