…as UYLA issues quit notice to herders
…address threat within 7 days, NAPS tells Buhari
…Police assure Deltans of safety
MOVEMENT for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, Monday, warned that Fulanis and oil facilities belongings to Fulanis would cease to exist should Jihadists make good their threats to attack Delta State.
This came as the Urhobo Youth Leaders’ Association, UYLA, issued a 48- hour quit notice to all Fulani Jihadists to immediately stop open grazing and take away their cattles from the Delta Central Senatorial District.
Also, the National Association of Polytechnic Students, NAPS, Monday, issued seven-day ultimatum to President Muhammadu Buhari to address the alleged Fulani Jihadists threat to attack the Delta State capital city of Asaba and Agbor.
Recall that some Fulani Jihadists had on Sunday, given Governor Ifeanyi Okowa 72 hours ultimatum to withdraw his support for the ban on open grazing in the Southern part of Nigeria, else they would attack the capital city of Asaba and Agbor.
MEND, in an unsigned statement said: “It has been brought to the threat of some Fulani terrorists who have given a three-day warning to the Governor of Delta State because of his support for the ban of open grazing across the Southern State.
“We also saw your taking responsibility for an explosion at the Secretariat in Asaba.
We are warning that if your threat is made to come to fulfilment, No Fulani Fulani will ever exist across the Niger Delta and all oil facilities linked to a Fulani will be brought down.
“If one soul is lost, Ten Fulani souls will pay for it. If one Facility is destroyed, Ten Fulani facilities will be destroyed. We will respond proportionately ten times whatever you give, the corresponding response will not be limited to the Delta, It may be with your politicians or with your rulers.
“We will launch three rocket launchers and ballistic missiles at any facility of our choice as a warning in seven days if you make bold your threats.
“We don’t make cheap our threats. We have shutdown the country and we can at anytime shut you down. We are the Niger Delta, We stand for the interest of the Niger Delta and we will not allow any coward threaten us. We fight without running.”
Meanwhile, UYLA, in a statement issued after an emergency Executive Committee meeting at Otor- Udu, Udu Local Government Area, condemned the threat letter to Okowa.
The statement by the group’s Acting President, Chief Anthony Ofoni, called on Urhobo youths in the 24 kingdoms and other ethnic youth groups in Delta State to mobilise into the farmlands after the expiration of the ultimatum and evict the herdsmen.
“This is to inform the Fulanis of Usman Dan Fodio leadership that after 48 hours, open grazing of cattle by nomadic people will be forbidden in Delta Central Senatorial District.
“The safety of herdsmen and their cattles still in the region after the expiration of the notice will no longer be guaranteed because they have sacked some of our communities in Uwheru and killed many Abraka farmers and we viewed the threat as a big insult on all Deltans”.
Reiterating it’s support for the decision of the 17 Southern Governors to put an end “to the old fashioned open grazing of cattle in the region”, the statement called on all ethnic youth groups to come out enmasse to defend their fatherlands, Delta State by chasing out the killer headsmen from the State.
Meanwhile, NAPS, in an open letter to the President signed by its Senate President, Comrade Dio Oghale Emeka Rex, frowned at the threat over Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s support for the ban on open grazing in the Southern part of Nigeria.
NAPS warned that would be forced to shutdown all campuses in the country if the President fails to address the alleged threat within seven days.
The students in the letter, said: “Mr President, the National Association of Polytechnic Students is the apex body governing all students studying in Polytechnics, Monotechnics, Colleges of Technology and all other allied institutions awarding National and Higher National Diploma certificate across the six geopolitical zones of the federation and diaspora.
“The association which is the second largest students movement in Africa continent, with the conglomeration of all SUG Presidents within the Polytechnic divide as Senators, forming the Senate Assembly with over 40.1 million armless battalion of students as membership strength, which has been in the vanguard of campaign for equity, quality leadership development, free and qualitative education at all levels through orientations, advocacy, capacity building, constructive agitations, justice and good governance, for over two decades.
“The contribution of our noble Association in bringing about our nascent democracy cannot be over emphasized as our cardinal objectives include coordinating of inter school activities, promote, project and protect the legitimate rights of the students.
“Your Excellency, we wish to refer to the above subject matters, the Senate leadership received distress calls from her teaming members, particularly Polytechnic Students in Delta state, the host state of the NAPS Senate Secretariat concerning a trending and online circulating release issued by Fulani Jihadists Group, claiming to unleash terrors on unsuspecting Deltans which the NAPS members covers a good number in the state.
“Your Excellency, it is pathetic to note that your administration is beginning to fail Nigerian students which you swore an oath to protect both her lives and properties, your Excellency the Nigerian students movement wish to state unequivocally that you should as a matter of urgency address the security threats in our country and most particularly Delta state and ensure that who or those involved in perpetuating this unrest are brought to book.
“It is our duties as an association to advocate and press for the demands of the betterment and general welfare of our students and parents, the leadership will not seize to mobilize her teeming members nationwide to resist any action that is tantamount to cause havoc and disrupt of our academic calendar.
“In as much as NAPS is a law abiding association, our silence shouldn’t be taken for weakness. We also acknowledge the efforts of His Excellency Senator Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, the executive governor of Delta state to tackle insecurity in the state and our campuses amidst scarce resources which has earn him the honor as the most students friendly governor.
“We as association are not to be mute over the threat against our collective patrimony by the Fulani Jihadists sect.
“Your excellency failure to address the issue, our association shall shutdown all tertiary institutions in the country and Government activities in all federal ministries.
“On this note, the NAPS senate leadership wish to call on you your excellency and seize this medium to issue a seven (7) day ultimatum for your excellency to rise to the occasion and address this particular threat by the FULANI JIHADIST to avoid security breach and unforeseen unrest on or before monday 21st of June 2021 and upon the expiration of our ultimatum your excellency fails to address this threat to lives and bring the culprits to book, the leadership will not hesitate to take a drastic measure, mobilize, use all legal and constitutional actions to press our demands home.
“Conclusively, the leadership wish to therefore encourage all our teeming supporters and members and all residents in Delta state to remain resolute, law abiding and go about their day to day activities, not to be distracted by this security threat but be rest assured of our utmost solidarity”.
Reacting to the threat letter, the Delta State Commissioner of Police, Mr Ari Mohammed Ali, has assured residents of the State of their safety.
Ali in a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP Bright Edafe, said: “The attention of the Command has been drawn to a recent publication making rounds purportedly published by the fulani’s of Usman dan fodio leadership tagged “FULANI JIHADIST WARNINGS” and pasted in various locations round Asaba and Agbor to be precise.
“The Command under the watch of CP Ari Muhammed Ali is ever committed in its responsibly of providing security for all Deltans”, urging “members of the public to ignore the said publication which must have been pasted by miscreants with the aim of creating panic in the state.
“All modalities have been put in place to forestall any of such occurrence. All residents are advised to go about their lawful businesses without fear or panic.
“Undercover Police operatives have been deployed across the state for the purpose of gathering intelligence.
“Other proactive measures have been put in place by the Command. Members of the public are also urged to continue to partner with the police, by providing useful information that will help in policing the state.”
Vanguard.
