Niger Delta militants, who had dropped their guns for over five years, have resurfaced and threatened to pick it up again and attack Lagos and Abuja.

Both cities are the commercial and administrative nerve of the country.

The militants, under the aegis of Supreme Egbesu Liberation Fighters, in a 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.

According to a masked member of the group who did not mention his name, “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”.

It asked the government to allow the region to manage its resources “the way Zamfara gold mining sector is being handled by their own 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.”

Daily Trust