SAN FRANCISCO, May 20, (THEWILL) – National President of the National Coalition of Niger Delta Ex-Agitators, NCNDE-A, Israel Akpodoro has described the Ijaw national leader, Chief Edwin Clark as “a man who would always want criminals of Ijaw extraction protected in the name of calls for dialogue,” adding that his call for the Federal Government to dialogue with new militant groups in the Niger Delta was unbecoming.
Akpodoro claimed that members of the militant groups (Niger Delta Avengers and the Red Egbesu Water Lions) were directly under the command of accused Government Ekpemupolo, better known as Tompolo, adding that Clark should justify his advice by producing Tompolo, who had been summoned severally by the federal government.
Speaking in Abuja on Thursday, he stated that any effort to dialogue with the militants would give rise to more troublesome groups, noting that the new militant groups had engaged in renewed hostilities among which were attacks on the nation’s oil pipelines.
The NCNDE-A leader said contrary to the call by the elder statesman for President Muhammadu Buhari to meet with the militants on peaceful agreement, Clark should make it a responsibility to persuade the militants to sheath their sword and embrace peace, alleging that new agitators were drawn from the league of ex-militants, who were on the payroll of the amnesty programme.
He wondered how long the federal government will continue to declare amnesty in the region, amidst prevailing economic situation,
According to Akpodoro, “The neo militant groups were directly under the command of accused Government Ekpemupolo, a.k.a. Tompolo, so those calling for dialogue should produce him to the FG before having the moral rectitude to call for dialogue.
“Acting like father to economic saboteurs and forming protective ring around criminals in the region won’t do us any good at this critical period of our nationhood. The call by Chief E.K.Clark, to say the least came as a rude shock and unbecoming of a man who would always want criminals of Ijaw extraction protected in the name of calls for dialogue.
“Nigerians would want to know from Chief Clark who are the avengers? Who are the sponsors and what are they avenging at this critical period in our nationhood?
“Hiding under the cloak of dialogue to part criminals on the back by giving them amnesty is a dubious thing to ask for. How many times have youth in Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Imo State…blown up pipelines to stampede federal government into granting them amnesty? The FG should dialogue, the army should go all out for these crooks who festers on cheap and free money.”
He further described the attackers of oil pipelines as demagogues and evil doers, who are out to foment trouble to stampede the federal government into paying them amnesty, stressing that the call for dialogue by some Ijaw leaders were ploy to arm twist the federal government into being cowed by the Ijaw youths.
Akpodoro maintained that such calls should be ignored in the interest of peace and tranquility in the region.
