30th January, 2015
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
Niger Delta militants have declared a former defence minister, Theophilous Y. Danjuma a persona non grata in the region for calling for the arrest of frontline freedom fighters, including Mujahid Asari Dokubo and Government Ekpemumodo, popularly known as Tompolo.
The militant leaders also demanded an apology from Danjuma within seven days or face their wrath. They said in a statement that Danjuma was among the northerners who had become very comfortable in life because of the oil money from the region.
A statement from the president of the forum of leaders of the various militant camps called the Leadership, Peace and Cultural Development Initiative, Reuben Wilson said Danjuma was courting with trouble of former militants for daring to call for the arrest of those Wilson referred to as ‘Niger Delta heroes’.
“As much as he has the right to free speech, Gen. Danjuma ought to know that the oil money he is enjoying today, through his ownership of oil blocs, came from our sacrifices and blood. We staked our life to fight for the development of our country. We fought for freedom for our land and it pains us that people like Danjuma who have reaped bountifully from the Niger Delta, can wake up to insult our sensibilities.
“For General Danjuma to call for the arrest of Asari Dokubo, then he has walked on the tail of the serpent. The much we know is that we the ex-militants who decided to drop our guns to join forces with the federal government to develop the country, especially the Niger Delta have never said anything or taken any action that would warrant such explosives from Danjuma. “
They restated their position on the support for Jonathan during the February election, even as they said they did not believe in violence but would stop anybody who tried to rig the election against Dr Goodluck Jonathan.
According to the ex-militants, General Danjuma is allegedly enjoying oil money in the Niger Delta insulting them at the same time.
“We are therefore giving him seven days from today to retract the statements he made to the media on the arrest of Asari Dokubo. We see his call as a declaration of war with the former fighters and we will like to tell him that we are ready to face him, having declared himself our enemy.”
“We are well aware that he own oil blocs in the Niger Delta. He cannot be eating from our farm and at the same time calling us stupid and wishing that we should be arrested while he continues to harvest from our farm. Danjuma should apologise to all the former fighters or we will assume that he has no regrets for his utterances.
They warned those they allege are intimidating them to abandon the struggle for the re-election of Jonathan-their joint effort aimed at denying them their right will not work.
“They may be in the majority but we have a minority oil and that is what is feeding this country. If they want to push a minority man out of Aso Rock by force, they should start thinking of where they will get money to keep their man in Aso Rock because our oil money will no more be there for them to share. Danjuma must retract the statement within 7 days and apologise to us.”