Rivers Allocation Seizure: Militants Threaten to Attack Oil Installations In N’Delta
Following the seizure of Rivers State allocation by the federal government, a militant group known as the Niger Delta Rescue Movement has threatened to attack oil installations in the Niger Delta region.
In a video that surfaced on social media on Thursday, the group, consisting of about eight armed men, warned that Nigeria’s oil production would suffer if the state’s allocation was not released immediately.
They also issued a notice for non-indigenes residing in Rivers State to leave for their safety, warning that hostilities were about to begin.
Chanting war slogans, including “asawana, asawana,” commonly used among the Ijaw people, the militants accused the Martin Amaewhule-led 27 lawmakers of deliberately fueling a crisis to create an opportunity for a state of emergency to be declared in Rivers.
A leader of the group, while reading a statement, expressed concern over the recent political tensions in the state and accused certain individuals of working to destabilize the government of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
“It has come to our attention that some self-proclaimed lawmakers have given the governor a 48-hour ultimatum to present the 2025 budget
“This is a clear attempt to incite chaos and possibly lead to an impeachment or a declaration of a state of emergency,” the militant leader said.
The group called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene and stop the actions of Minister Nyesom Wike and his associates, whom they accused of pushing Rivers State into crisis.
“The people of Rivers State value stability, progress, and good governance. We will not stand by and watch our state descend into turmoil. If the allocation due to Rivers State is not released immediately, we will have no choice but to take decisive action, including disrupting oil production,” the statement warned.
The militants further stated that it was unacceptable for Rivers State to contribute revenue to the federation account and not receive its rightful share.
“Our workers deserve their salaries, and our government needs funds to carry out vital development projects. We cannot allow this injustice to continue,” they added.
The group also reiterated its call for non-indigenes to leave the state for their safety, emphasizing that while they preferred a peaceful resolution, they were prepared to act if necessary.
The threat comes in the wake of a Supreme Court judgment last Friday, which upheld a lower court ruling that halted Rivers State’s allocation and recognized the Amaewhule-led faction as the legitimate State Assembly. On Monday, the Assembly issued a 48-hour ultimatum for Governor Fubara to present the 2025 budget, a deadline that expired at midnight on Wednesday.
Hafsoh Isiaq is a graduate of Linguistics. An avid writer committed to creative, high-quality research and news reportage. She has considerable experience in writing and reporting across a variety of platforms including print and online.
