There were reports in the media Sunday suggesting that the NDA had named them to be on its negotiation team in the dialogue with Federal Government.
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The groups, Niger Delta Security Watch Organisation of Nigeria, led by Dickson Bekederemo, Ijaw Human Rights Monitors, headed by Fred Brisibe, Ijaw People Development Initiative coordinated by Austin Ozobo and Foundation for Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Crusade, led by Alaowei Cleric, stated this in a joint statement in Warri, Delta State.
The Nigerian Army says at least five suspected members of the Niger Delta militants group were killed in Rivers State and a large cache of arms recovered by troops involved in “Exercise Crocodile Smile”, which commenced on Saturday.
The militant group noted that some names being paraded as factions of the NDA were the figment of “characters of the All Progressive Congress (APC) from Niger Delta, bent on protecting their jobs”.
Avengers said it has at no time contacted any of the persons mentioned to dialogue for the group, agreeing with the submission of Prof.
“The 133 Special Forces Battalion of the Nigerian Army have carried out a precursor operation to Exercise CROCODILE SMILE aimed at getting rid of all forms of criminal activities in the Niger Delta geo-political region of Nigeria”.
The High Command of the Niger Delta Avengers are bothered again on the insensitivity to the genuine plight of the Niger Delta agitation by every successive government of Nigeria and the present handlers of the APC government.
It said: “That we, the NDA have named Prof”. We have shown our respect and restraints to personalities that have been too fixated to impress Abuja in the name of the Niger Delta struggle since the beginning of “Operation Red Economy” ignorantly or willingly.
The group also accused the Okah brothers both of whom are serving time in Nigeria and South Africa prisons of using disorganised characters from the Niger Delta region to impress the “powers that be at Abuja”.
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The group which has claimed responsibility for a series of attacks on oil and gas facilities in the Niger Delta in the last few months issued a statement just over a week after the militant group said it was ready for a ceasefire and talks with the government.
