A new militant group, simply identified as NDF emerged, Thursday, in Edo State, demanding among other things that Governor Godwin Obaseki creates five Development Centres in the five Ijaw Kingdoms in the state and a Riverine Development Agency, RDA , or face “total war.”
The group also asked the governor to give staff of office to the five Ijaw monarchs in the state and appoint Ijaw indigenes as commissioners.
Spokesperson of the militant assembly, self-styled “Captain” Osama Osama in a statement, said: “We have decided to declare total war on Edo state government since the civil echoes of freedom of Ijaws in the state is not rigorous enough.”
Its words: “It is our strong demand that Ijaws in the state be appointed as commissioners and the five Ijaw monarchs in the state are given staff of office. We need at least five development centres to be established in the five Ijaw kingdoms in the state, one each to bridge the age -long neglect and marginalization.”
“It is equally our demand that our community roads connecting to the upland and our community schools in the state be given a facelift as there are no good roads linking our community from the upland.
“Our schools are in dilapidated state with no teacher and teaching aids. Water hyacinths has blocked our rivers, we want government to clear our river, as it affects fishing and other commercial activities on the waterways.
It is not news that Edo state government has failed Ijaw people since the creation of the state, and we have decided to take our destiny in our hands. There is always a time for freedom for every one under slavery status, hence enough of the slavery subjection we are into. It is high time we liberate ourselves by force.
“We have decided to set Edo on fire if our demands are not met, we have been patient for this long and our patience taken for granted. It is now time to go extra miles for our freedom. Israel would have been in continues slavery in Egypt if not that Moses came to use force to liberate the Isrealites.
“If not that Nigeria and other Africa countries put up resistance to British colonization, they may have been still under such conditions till date. The Holy book says since the days of John the Baptist, the kingdom of God suffers violence and the violent take it by force.
“We will carry out well-coordinated attacks in the state and Godwin Obaseki should be held responsible when we are done.
“This is a movement to finally end marginalization of Edo state- Ijaws because everything that has beginning equally has end. They will no longer be oppressing our people again; they will not segregate against them because of their language and location in Edo state. We will restore their pride and glory as Ijaw man. We are committed to end the history of terror against our people in the state with every means necessary,” the group added.
The militant group called all well meaning stakeholders in Niger Delta to “speak up against the ongoing terror of neglect and acute marginalization against our people in the state,” adding, “it is our Ijaw brothers that produce the oil in Edo state, yet they are hated and pushed to the background in scheme of things in the state. “
