Why we want to attack targets in Lagos, Abuja – SELF

The Supreme Egbesu Liberation Fighters, a militant group in the Niger Delta has said it would go after some targets in Lagos and Abuja as parts of its campaign to press home its demand for the Niger Delta region.

The militants, in the now-viral video posted on Tuesday by Africa Independent Television (AIT), accused the Federal Government of marginalising the region and failing to deliver on the amnesty programme.

A masked member of the group said: “After accepting the amnesty pact, till date, there are no schools, no potable water, no light, no hospital and access roads for our people to enjoy”.

The group also complained that “no meaningful progress has been made” with the Ogboni clean-up project “because the Nigerian government has decided to place politics against the meaningful development of our people”.

He added: “Over the years, the Niger Delta people have made frantic efforts to create an enabling environment… but to our great dismay, the Nigerian government over the years has decided to handle the issues of the Niger Delta with kid gloves. They have betrayed the struggle and have left the people to their fate.

“Rather, what is visible is the presence of military gunboat and the numerous military personnel dispersed to the Niger Delta who are killing, raping, and maiming the innocent people of the region.”

“Look at the security surveillance contract taking place in our region through the federal government these agencies have decided to shortchange our people. Now in our territorial waters, it is an Israeli company that is providing waterway security which we have competent hands with expert knowledge to manage.

“Don’t worry because we are coming to destroy all your infrastructure in Abuja and Lagos. As a group committed to giving total liberation to our people, we will destroy the oil facilities both onshore and offshore in no distant time, we will be seen to be crippling the Nigerian economy.”

Meanwhile, Nigerians have taken to social media to decry the threat of attacks by the militants, which is coming at a time when the country is grappling with banditry, kidnapping, killer herders and terrorism in various parts of the country.