A group of agitators in the Niger Delta region are threatening to resume the hostilities in the area by targeting oil and gas infrastructure if the “deliberate plot by some politicians to use the court to stop local government allocation in Rivers State” is successful.
The agitators under the aegis of the Niger Delta Development Force (NDDF) describe an aberration, the attempt to stop the allocation of local governments with democratically elected officials in line with the recent judgement of the Supreme Court on Local government autonomy.
In a statement on Sunday, the Spokesman for the group, Justin Alabraba threatened to bomb and shut down oil facilities and installations in the region should any judge, anywhere in the country, particularly Abuja make such a decision.
He warned, “The President Tinubu-led Federal Government not to yield to the antics of the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, to use Abuja courts to seize allocations meant for the 23 Local Government Councils in Rivers State, to satisfy his personal ambitions.”
Alabraba said, “Let them try it on Monday or any other day, and see what will happen. We will shut down major oil pipelines and production installations, and it will be the beginning of the worst to come. Nyesom Wike cannot be using Tinubu’s powers to cause problems in Rivers State without any consequences“.
Alabraba reminded President Tinubu that any attempt to destabilise Rivers State will spiral into serious destabilisation of the entire Niger Delta, saying that Rivers State is the headquarters of the region.
The group said that they can no longer watch the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, allegedly use Federal might and his relationship with Abuja-based judges to procure judgments designed to undermine Governor Siminalayi Fubara-led Government.
They claim that reliable sources say that Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja, is set to deliver judgment on Monday to allegedly stop statutory allocations to Local Governments in Rivers State.
Last week, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed the request by the Rivers State Government to stay proceedings in a suit seeking to stop the allocation of funds to all the local government areas of Rivers State.
The Judge held that the request by the Rivers State Government was frivolous.
The Rivers State House of Assembly and Hon Martin Amaewhule had brought the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN before the court praying the court to withhold fund allocation to the Rivers State local governments.
The Rivers state government objected to the hearing of the suit in Abuja but was turned down by the court.
The court insisted on going ahead with the hearing of the suit and has reserved judgment on it.
