N’Delta Agitators Warn Against Plan to Stop Rivers LGs’ Revenue Allocations

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

A group, Niger Delta Development Force (NDDF), has warned that any attempt to stop the allocations of the 23 local government councils in Rivers State through a Federal High Court in Abuja, will be resisted.

The group who described themselves as freedom fighters and ambassadors in the region, warned the President Bola Tinubu’s led federal government not to yeild to the pressure of escalating the crisis in Rivers through such purported court order.

They alleged that the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, planned to use Abuja courts to seize allocations meant for the 23 LGAs in Rivers State, to satisfy his personal ambition.

Spokesperson of the group, Justin Alabraba, told Journalists in Port Harcourt, that they would not hesitate to shutdown all oil facilities in the region if the attempt proceed.

They further threatened to bomb oil facilities and installations in the region should any judge, anywhere in the country, particularly Abuja, use the court system to stop revenue allocations to the 23 LGAs with democratically elected officials in line with the judgment of the Supreme Court in the land.

They also warned the federal government not to resurrect the restiveness, agitations and militancy former Presidents Umaru Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan fought so hard to end through the amnesty programme.

Alabraba said any planned judgment from any court in Abuja today (Monday) or any other day, that denies LGAs in Rivers their statutory allocations will be met with heavy and devastating destruction of strategic oil installations across the region.

He 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 said that “leaders of the region have been raising the alarm and cautioning Wike’s enablers to reign in on him to halt the assault on the State and the Government of Sir Siminalayi Fubara”, warning that those counsel appear to be falling on deaf ears.

Alabraba reminded President Tinubu that any attempt to destabilise Rivers State will spiral into serous destabilisation of the entire Niger Delta, saying that Rivers State is the headquarters of the region.

The group warned that crude oil and gas production in the region will suffer unprecedented suffocation if any untoward judgment is delivered against Rivers or any part thereof, and cautioned judges to be mindful of the consequences of their actions.