l things considered, the Niger Delta Avengers are no different from the Boko Haram criminality in the Northern part of Nigeria, and if I wanted to be too strict, I would say that the Niger Delta Avengers are more deadly, more destructive, more dangerous and consequently more devilish. Boko Haram has been on a hit and run warfare that derives pleasure in hitting and killing soft targets, but the destructive Avengers of Niger Delta targets oil installations and the Power Sector, the two most critical sectors of our economy today.
As I write this Nigeria has lost at least one million barrels of crude oil daily in the past one month or so. The power sector output hovering around 3000 to 5000 MW of electricity has been brought down to miserable level of less than 1000MW. What this means is that we have no economy any longer. Nigeria runs a mono-economy that depends on crude oil sales, and if anything happens to that critical sector, it will affect every stratum of our society. There will be no foreign exchange earnings , no money to pay salaries at the federal, state and the local levels, no money to service importation, no money to buy arms , no money to service foreign debts, no money to service foreign missions and no money to build infrastructure etc.
Without electric power no nation on earth will be said to be serious in building its economy, attracting foreign investments or creating jobs. Most of the nation's power stations are driven by gas, a product of crude oil production process. Much of the gas comes from the Niger Delta. Before the advent of gas turbines, we had hydro power stations in Shiroro and Kainji in the North and a coal powered stations in Enugu State and these are now almost obsolete as gas powered plants have proved to be more efficient, cheaper, cleaner and cost effective. This is what these criminals are exploiting to continue to punish 160 million Nigerians.
They are blackmailers, exploiters, oil thieves, kidnappers, murderers, destroyers, oppressors, armed robbers, liars from the pit of hell, corrupt entities, reprobate minds , dolts, cultural savages , embezzlers etc. I lack words to describe these workers of iniquity. They blackmailed President Obasanjo, they blackmailed President Yar'Adua. They blackmailed and held President Jonathan by the throat and squeezed it without mercy until he helplessly and hopelessly surrendered. They got everything, . They got NDDC , they got the Ministry of Niger Delta, they got 13% Derivation, they stole billions of barrels of crude oil, and got billions of dollars, they got oil wells without paying a dime, they robbed oil companies at gun point, they kidnapped for money, they got amnesty from President Yar'Adua and a deal worth more than a billion dollars. Former President Jonathan opened the nation's Treasury for them and they carted away billions to build Universities, mansions and even buy arms and warships.
The school drop out called Asari Dokubo is building a University in Benin Republic and so is the silly old man called Edwin Clark. Oh My God , these shameless idiots have had it all and have thoroughly enjoyed themselves. They married many wives like Asari Dokubo, owned night clubs, big hotels, estates, all kinds of Special Utility Vehicles, they painted the cities red and intimidated other Nigerians. They wished that the party and the bazaar continue until the 2015 general elections drew near. When it dawned on them that Jonathan may not make it they began to issue threats and intimidation. They got desperate and fear gripped them that a president Buhari may not accept their criminal enterprise and excesses any longer. A president Buhari came on board and removed the feeding bottles from their ugly mouths and hell was let loose. The corruption called the amnesty has to go. Easy money is gone . Extortion is gone . This is president Buhari's sin.
My take here is that there is no need negotiating with those who have had it all in the past 17 years. The battle has to be fought . We cannot win the battle and lose the war. This president is for everybody and for nobody. These people will not listen until they see that war brings death. There is no difference between Boko Haram and the Niger Delta Avengers. If President Buhari can fight Boko Haram and Shiites to a standstill , these so called Avengers in the Niger Delta should face the same treatment. They have destroyed government installations and facilities , they have killed soldiers and policemen and they have killed many innocent people through the destruction of power installations. This is subversion . This is economic sabotage . This is treason and an open declaration of war on Nigeria as a political entity. Nigeria's armed forces must apply the doctrine of necessity, intelligence, tact and common sense in the war to reclaim the integrity and honour of Nigeria. We must take war to their doorsteps. If they defeat us let them go with their useless oil and if we defeat them and they must be defeated, then other ethnic groups will learn yet another lessons from the war.
Since the massive destruction of facilities in the Niger Delta started, the Governors in the region have not met to condemn the brigandage. The elders have not met to issue a statement to call the killers and destroyers to order. What we have heard has been a cacophony of weak voices drowned in deceit and lies. I saw complicity by this criminal silence. The grave silence is sending potentially dangerous signals. It is shocking and at best unbelievable. Nigeria can survive without oil and gas. This is the truth we must accept with courage and call the bluff of these exploiters and blackmailers from the Niger Delta.
I repeat once again that there is no zero tribe, zone, ethnic group, state or culture in Nigeria. Every tribe or zone in Nigeria has something to bring to the table. Niger Delta is bringing oil and gas to the table while others are bringing food, technology, commerce, intelligence, ideas, workforce, etc. to the same table. Ours is a case of a symbiotic relationship.
Joe Igbokwe
Lagos