This is even as the group said that the senior Army officers had approached Niger- Delta militants to continue bombing oil installations to give reason and justification for a coup against him.
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“Those canvassing and assuming our position on truce are on their own, but the NDA will only agree to dialogue if it’s open to worldwide audience”, the group said.
They reminded members of the NDA that “they signed a pact with the federal government in 2009 to drop their armed struggle and embrace peace”.
In a statement titled: “If you make the peaceful change that we seek impossible, we will make violent change possible”, a group called Ultimate Warriors of the Niger Delta said if the situation continued that way, massive attacks on oil assets will commence in the days ahead.
A cease-fire between Nigeria’s government and a militant group that has claimed responsibility for a series of crippling attacks on oil infrastructure may be on shaky ground.
In a statement, the Media Director, Sibiri Taiowoh also pledged affiliation with the Niger Delta Avengers.
One of the leaders who met with Mr. Kachikwu, Godspower Gbenekema said: “The Avengers might be giving the federal government some time to do something about the demands”.
“We know that the issue of Niger Delta is political and we prefer political solution to resolve it, but if the president refuses, that is not our problem”.
“We once again, restate that we are not going to be part of any dialogue and peace that will achieve only “The peace of our time” what the NDA want is Peace with honour which will enter the genuine framework in setting up the short, medium and long term action plan to the restoration of the essence of quality human life in the Niger Delta”, the NDA said in a statement.
Among the factors standing in the way of a ceasefire is that militants are divided into small groups and leaders have little sway over unemployed youths willing to work for anyone who pays them.
Nigeria was the biggest oil producer in Africa until the series of recent attacks which have cut production, allowing Angola to surpass it. Production now stands around 1.6 million barrels a day as opposed to about 2.2 million at the beginning of the year. However, the government has cut the amnesty programme budget by two thirds, angering many former militants.
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As a way of curbing the militants attacks, the federal government made a decision to dialogue with them but many have advised against it.
