Niger Delta Avengers: Read What Gov. Dickson Said to Buhari

– Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa state has urged the federal government not to engage in combative means as a way of ending the threats posed by the Niger Delta Avengers in the Niger Delta region
– The South-south region governor said sitting at a round table for discussion is the only way out of the tension
– The governor made this call during an event hosted by his Ekiti state counterpart, Governor Ayodele Fayose
Bayelsa state governor, Seriake Dickson has called for a discourse as a means of ending the continuous chaos in the Niger Delta region.

Dickson said fighting the militant groups, will only worsen the already tensed atmosphere in the oil-rich region.

Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa state.

The Niger Delta Avengers, a body of various militant groups have gone into war with the federal government, in which they have been destroying national assets, as well as causing huge monetary losses that run into billions of naira, with massive reduction in the production of crude oil, thereby leading to a drop in the output of oil production to 50% from its original capacity.

Vanguard reports that Governor Dickson gave the pieces of advice over the weekend at the Ekiti State University (EKSU)’s 21st Convocation ceremony where he was awarded a Doctorate Degree in Public Administration based on his sterling leadership qualities.

The Bayelsa governor emphasised that the only viable solution to the Niger Delta violence is dialogue.
Likewise, Major Osama Blatter, spokesperson for the Niger Delta Sea Commados (NDSC) said in a statement that: “As members of the Sea Commandos, we cannot take Buhari’s plea serious as we are running out of patience. The issue is when he will start his dialogue.,

Presidency Kicks As Saraki Laments Buhari Govt. Been Hijacked By Cabal

The President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, on Monday, alleged that a powerful cabal within the President Muhammadu Buhari’s government had hijacked power from the retired general.

But the Presidency said Saraki’s claim was not only ridiculous but also preposterous since it was not backed by facts and detailed information. Saraki, in a statement signed by him in Abuja, however, reiterated his innocence in the charges preferred against him at the Code of Conduct Tribunal and at the FCT High Court.
He also vowed to use all legal means available to resist any attempt by forces within the Buhari’s government to persecute him for upholding his fundamental rights.

The Senate President expressed his willingness to go to jail instead of succumbing to the agenda of the cabal in the Buhari’s government.



He said, “What has become clear is that there is now a government within the government of President Buhari, who have seized the apparatus of executive powers to pursue their nefarious agenda.“This latest onslaught on the legislature represents a clear and present danger to the democracy Nigerians fought hard to win and preserve.

“The suit filed on behalf of the Federal Government suggests that perhaps some forces in the Federal Republic have not fully embraced the fact that the Senate’s rules and procedures govern how the legislative body adjudicates and resolves its own disputes.

“Let it be abundantly clear, both as a citizen and as a foremost legislator, I will continue to rise above all the persecution and distraction that have been visited on me.

“Without doubt, the highest of those responsibilities is the steadfast refusal to surrender to the subversion of our democracy and the desecration of the Senate. This is a cross I am prepared to carry.

“If (my not) yielding to the nefarious agenda of a few individuals, who are bent on undermining our democracy and destabilising the Federal Government to satisfy their selfish interests is the alternative to losing my personal freedom, let the doors of jails be thrown open and I shall be a happy guest.

“In the words of Martin Luther King Junior, ‘The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience but where he stands at a time of challenge and controversy’.”
In the Presidency’s reaction, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, on Monday, said Saraki’s claim would have been more worthwhile if he had backed it up with more information.He said the President of the Senate would have taken the matter beyond the realm of fiction if he had proceeded to identify those who he claimed had constituted a government within the government. The presidential aide said without that proof, Saraki’s allegation was not worth the paper on which it was written as anybody could wake from a troubled sleep and say anything.

The statement read, “But as it stands, the allegation is not even worth the paper on which it was written, as anybody can wake from a troubled sleep and say anything.
The Attorney General of the Federation is the Chief Law Officer of the country. It is within his constitutional powers to determine who has infringed upon the law and who has not.
“Pretending to carry an imaginary cross is mere obfuscation, if indeed, a criminal act has been committed. But we leave the courts to judge.
“To claim that President Muhammadu Buhari is anybody’s stooge is not only ridiculous but also preposterous. It is not in the character of our President.”
Saraki insisted that the Senate leadership, being led by him, was innocent of the charges filed by the AGF, Mr. Abubakar Malami, at the FCT High Court on the allegations of forgery of the Senate Standing Rules document.

He said, “In our view, the charges filed by the Attorney General represent a violation of the principle of the Separation of Powers between the Executive Branch and the Legislative Branch as enshrined in our Constitution.

“Furthermore, it is farcical to allege that a criminal act occurred during Senate’s procedural actions and the mere suggestion demonstrates a desperate overreach by the office of the Attorney General.

“These trump-up charges are only another phase in the relentless persecution of the leadership of the Senate. This misguided action by the Attorney General begs the question, how does this promote the public interest and benefit the nation?”

He lamented that the current distractions were happening at a time when both the legislature and the executive arm of government should be working together to meet Nigeria’s many challenges.

Saraki said, “We are once again distracted by the Executive Branch’s inability to move beyond a leadership election among Senate peers.”

“It was not an election of Senate peers and Executive Branch participants. Over the past year, the Senate has worked to foster good relations with the Executive Branch. It is in all of our collective interests to put aside divisions and get on with the nation’s business.”

Saraki expressed the fears that the current All Progressives Congress government in the country risked alienating and losing the support of the very people who had trusted their national leaders to seek new and creative ways to promote a secure and prosperous Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, who was arraigned with Saraki on Monday for alleged forgery of the Senate Order, alleged that the leadership of the Senate were being prosecuted by senior officials of Buhari’s government based on mere rumour.

Ekweremadu, in a statement signed by him in Abuja, said that vindictiveness and arrogance should not find a place in the nation’s democracy.

He said, “It is deeply troubling to note that people in high places, who swore to uphold the law, have dwindled into purveyors of falsehood and rumour, who seek to smear and tarnish the reputation of law-abiding and responsible citizens as well as cripple the hallowed institutions of democracy.”

The DSP said he decided to present himself to the FCT High Court on Monday as an ordinary citizen to plead “not guilty” to charges he did not commit.

He said, “It is all the more disheartening that people, who should know better, use the colour of their office to pursue private vendetta against people they disagree with.

“This grotesque display of vindictiveness, arrogance and mindless targeting of innocent citizens should find no sanctuary in our democracy.

“Using the machinery of justice to create disorder is a dangerous and an invidious scheme that ultimately will lead Nigeria down the road to perdition.

“It is Senator Bukola Saraki and Senator Ike Ekweremadu today. Who knows whose turn it will be next?

BREAKING NEWS!!! Militants Open Fire on Deputy Governor & this Happened

Suspected militants that have been tormenting communities in Ogun State yesterday prevented a convoy led by Deputy Governor Mrs. Yetunde Onanuga from accessing a part of Ebute-Ibafo in Obafemi Owode local government, The Nation Reports.

In the entourage were Bridgade Commander, 35 Artillery Army Bridgade, Alamala Barack, Abeokuta, Brigadier – General Mohammed Danqalis, the Director of the Department of State Service(DSS), Ogun state Command, Mr Kabiru Sanni, Deputy Commissioner of Police(Operations), Mr Bello Makwashi, Secretary to the State Government Taiwo Adeoluwa, Commisdioner for Information and Orientation, Dayo Adeneye, the Baale of Ebute – Ibafo, Chief Afolorunsho Balogun, the Olu of Imusin, Oba Taiwo Adebunmi Bamgbose and five other traditional rulers.

As the team approached the creek through which the militants usually follow to escape after attacking the Ebute – Ibafo community, the militants shot at them sporadically from the creek. The soldiers and the police in the team returned fire. The trip was aborted.

Secretary to the State Government Adeoluwa urged the Federal Government to urgently constitute a military task force like the one in the Niger Delta to tackle the militants.

“This level of team led by the deputy governor cannot access a part of our state. It means without mincing words, the Federal Government needs to get involved in this.

“This is clearly beyond the capacity of the police. This is something which we believe in Ogun state, a major task force, military operation task force like the one we have in Niger Delta is necessary and desirable now.
“We all can see, we were in Elepete, Igbo Olomu, Imagbon, Imuti, nothing compared to the violence there. You all heard the shooting, this is something that should be a source of worry to everybody and we think the Federal Government should come to our aid,” Adeoluwa said.

Earlier during a visit to other communities under the militants’ attack, Mrs Onanuga appealed to hundreds of fleeing indigenes and residents of the five communities to return home.

She said measures had been put in place to protect them from further attacks and killings by suspected Niger Delta militants.

In the last one week, five of Imusin’s 27 communities in Sagamu Local Government Area of Ogun state had come under grave attacks by the suspected militants, resulting in the death of over a dozen villagers and destruction of their properties.

The affected communities visited are: Imagbon, Elepete, Igbo – Olomu, Imuti and later Ebute – Ibafo.
Addressing the Olu of Imusin, Oba Taiwo Bamgbose, and a handful of his people at Igbo Olomu, one of the scenes of the killings of several of the villagers on June 17, Mrs Onanuga assured that the killers would be brought to justice.

But in a twist of fate, while the Deputy Governor was still addressing the distressed villagers to convey the government’s message of hope and sympathy, information soon came in that a member of the community, Sarafa Olayinka, had just been abducted by the militants and taken to the creek.

Also, the Baale of Ebute – Ibafo, Chief Folorunsho Balogun, while still narrating his community’s ordeal in the hands of the militants to the state government’s representatives earlier, said he too had received a message that his subjects – Alhaji Odugbesan and his wife, had been abducted by the militants.
Chief Balogun said the militants invaded his community three days ago, killed people, attacked a bakery and carted away loaves of bread.

He also said some beautiful women were abducted from the community.
According to him, even domestic animals – goats and chickens-were not spared during the onslaught as many of them found roaming the streets were shot and taken away by the militants.

NAIRA DEVALUATION: Nigeria Woes Worsen As Buhari Admits Blunder On Policy, Turns To States For Help;

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday said 13 states have been identified to produce rice that will feed the nation in the next 18 months. Buhari spoke during the breaking of fast dinner with the business community. According to him, unless the economy is set right, Nigeria will continue to be in trouble.



Despite the ongoing implementation of the flexible policy which has systematically devalued the nation’s currency, President Buhari insisted that he does not see any benefit in the devaluation of naira. He said: “How much benefit have we derived from naira devaluation in the past? I don’t like the returns I get from the CBN because that coupled with the demand that let us devalue the naira. In August 1985, the naira was N1.3 to a dollar. But now you need N300 or N350 to a dollar. “What do we derive from that? And how much benefit can we derive from this ruthless devaluation of the naira? I’m not an economist neither a businessman, I fail to appreciate what is the economic explanation. “What has happen to us now is that we have maneuvered ourselves into mono economy which led to the collapse we are seeing now. “A lot of responsibilities now fall on your shoulders now. You have a lot of investments and a lot of people to employ.”

Giving a vote of thanks on behalf of the group, Chairman of Unilever, Kola Jamodu, pledged the support of the group to Buhari’s administration as it strives to take the Nigerian economy out of the woods.

Halliburton: Fayose Makes Fresh Revelations; Challenges Buhari’s Wife to Travel To US to Prove Innocence

GOVERNOR Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State has challenged Nigeria’s First Lady, Hajia Aisha Buhari, to travel to the United States of America to prove her innocence in the Halliburton scam.

Fayose said this on Wednesday in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, insinuating that Hajia Buhari has been avoiding travelling to the US in order to evade arrest.

Fayose had on Monday said Hajia Buhari was the person indicted by a US Court for transferring $170,000 to indicted US Congressman, Williams Jefferson, in the Halliburton scandal.

Though several sources had said she was not the one, Fayose insisted that Hajia Buhari had more to reveal than she had agreed to.

He said that was why she had refused to travel with her husband, President Muhammadu Buhari, on the three occasions he had visited the US since assuming power.

He also said rather than attend a conference to which she was invited, Hajia Buhari sent Toyin, the wife of the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki.


Fayose said in the statement by Adelusi on Wednesday that if the President’s wife was certain she was not the one indicted in the Halliburton scandal, she should visit the United States of America to convince Nigerians.

He said: “It is on record that the President has visited USA three times and his wife did not travel with him. Equally, she ought to have visited USA last year September to chair a United Nations programme but she sent wife of the Senate President, Mrs Toyin Saraki to represent her.”

Military Scheming to Overthrow Buhari – Niger Delta Militants

A consolidated group of militants, Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force (JNDLF), yesterday, claimed that some senior military officers were scheming to overthrow the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari through a coup d’état.

The militant group, which was behind threats of missile launch that created panic in the Niger Delta region, said persons behind the coup plot, were planning to instigate civil unrest as part of their strategies to actualise the scheme.

The group in an electronic statement said already the top military officers involved in the scheme approached its leaders with an appeal to continue with the ongoing attacks on oil installation.

It claimed that the “coup plotters” said they wanted to use sustained attacks on oil facilities as a genuine reason to take over the government.

The statement was signed by persons who identified themselves as ‘General’ Torunanaowei Latei (Creek Network Coordinator); ‘General’ Agbakakuro Owei-Tauro (Pipeline Bleeding Expert); ‘General’ Akotebe Darikoro (Commander, General Duties) and ‘General’ Pulokiri Ebikade (Intelligence Bureau).

The group said: “We are constraint to let the cat out of the bag today that PresidentMohammadu Buhari should be wary about the security of this country as some military men are making move to remove him from power by instigating civil unrest in the country.

“Some top military men through their civil agents approached us to cause and continue the vandalization of the oil and gas pipelines in the Niger delta region so as to use as an excuse to take over the government from democracy to military rule in the country.

“We said no as such plan will not work and not in conformity with our genuine desire of agitation.The military want to disgrace him now and let him quickly look into the issues and make pronouncement for his administration to be in peace.

“Let president should analyze certain memo from the military concerning Niger delta region before taking action or otherwise the military will use that as a platform to remove him. We know the issue of Niger delta is political and we preferred political solution to resolve it but if the president refused”.

The group further advised the President to adopt holistic approach in resolving the problems of the Niger Delta.

It named the ongoing corruption probes in the military as one of the reasons why like minds had gathered to plot the removal of the President adding that most officers behind the scheme were above the ranks of major-generals.

“We received several calls unknown to persuade us to continue the bombing and that when succeeded in overthrowing the government we will be placed on a better position, we said capital NO!

“When asked of their names they are above Major General’s level. They refused to disclose their names but their intonations seem like yoruba and Hausa. Our agitation is not for selfish interest but for the overall benefit of the Niger delta region.

“We’ll not kidnap any person, kill or hostage taking of any expatriate in the country but will continue our agitation with clear determination to actualize our course in Nigeria.

“We believe their sinister plan because their is ceasefire in the region for dialogue, but since then the attitude and actions of the service chiefs show that such plan could work for them”, it said.

The group also accused the military of invading Ijaw communities in the Niger Delta, harassing, chiefs and women during the period of ceasefire.

It asked the President to quickly implement their demands which it listed as immediate release of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd.) and Dr. Nnamdi Kanu.

Others are directing the EFCC to defreeze the bank accounts of ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, a.k.a. Tompolo; resuming the academic sessions of the only Nigerian Maritime University sited in Okerenkoko and immediate implementation of the report of the 2014 National Conference report.

They asked the President to clean up all the oil-polluted land in the region and to remove Brigadier General Paul Boroh (rtd.) as an Amnesty Coordinator.

According to them Boroh should be re-placing with Dr. Felix Tuodolo who it said had been in the struggle of non-violence since 1980 and the designer.

It said: “Why all these attacks on oil and gas pipelines in the region is that the Pharaoh of Nigeria (Buhari) made a childish statement that, he will develop those areas that gave him 95% votes during his presidential election last year.

“We the Niger Delta people only gave him 5% hence we vowed that our oil money will not be used for the development of any other region. The President should change his mind set towards the region, if not this will continue”.

Release Nnamdi Kanu To End the Problem in Nigeria – Jerry Gana

Jerry Gana who attended the 17th anniversary of Igbo Youth Movement, last week; called on Muhammadu Buhari to release the leader of indigenous people of Biafra who has done nothing but called for the restoration of Biafra. Gana argued that Nnamdi Kanu has right to call for self-determination and believing that his arrest was uncalled for, a mistake that must be corrected. He was more concerned about the circumstance that led to Nnamdi Kau’s agitation than the agitation itself.

However, he stated that Nnamdi Kanu is only responding to Nigerian as a failed state that worsened under Buhari. Nnamdi Kanu is the spark plug for Biafra restoration and arresting him was stoking the flame of Biafra that has left Nigeria bleeding since last year. He argued that had true federalism been implemented, Nnamdi Kanu’s agitation would not gain the 100% backing and support it has today.

“Release Nnamdi Kanu and restructure Nigeria which is the only solution” he said while responding to questions. He was filled with smile and expressed satisfaction that despite being in prison, Nnamdi still command respect. He was one of those that clapped and smiled when Nnamdi Kanu’s award was announced.

Since Nnamdi Kanu was arrested, there have been uneasy calm in old eastern region that is Biafra. Youths, fathers and mothers came out on the street with placards which often destabilizes economic activities due to the mammoth crowd that troops out in solidarity. The federal government of Nigeria has shown cluelessness in handling the situation which has only worsened or heated the polity.

Buhari resorted to use of maximum force against unarmed and peaceful Biafrans that are only taking advantage of the tenet of democracy. Nigerian forces under the command of Buhari have brutally shot to kill Biafra agitators. Shooting unarmed Biafrans was the solution Buhari can offer and the decision only worsened the situation as agitators get motivated instead of retreating. “We have lost lives and continue losing; we won’t retreat because of that” Buhari has come under intense criticism but have not shown any sign of repenting, hundreds of Biafrans have been killed and instead of deterring others, it has only motivated and fueled the agitation. Gana faulted Buhari’s approach and cautioned that Killing agitating youths will never solve any problem. “Had we embraced true federalism, all these won’t be happening. The youths agitating are doing what should be done to save this country” he said.

Notable figures have called for the release of Nnamdi Kanu and many are still calling for his release, militants have also sworn to narrow down oil production to zero, an effort on course. Gana is of the view that only releasing Nnamdi Kanu will bring an end to the many problems Nigeria is facing. “Release Nnamdi Kanu and all these problems will be over, very simple”

Buhari has refused to listen to voices and voice of reason urging him to shelve issues that will likely result to military actions. He is of the view that he would crush everything that opposes him as he has promised that he would kill more Biafrans to keep Nigeria one. He has also threatened to drown everybody instead of allow Biafra. “We don’t want death, we will disappoint Buhari, and we want peace and true federalism” he concluded.