PIB: Niger Delta militants threaten to attack oil facilities over three percent allocation

A militant group, Niger Delta Revolutionary Crusaders (NDRC), has threatened to resume attacks on oil installations in the region.

NDRC said it would resume attacks on oil installations due to the three per cent allocated to host communities in the recently passed Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) by the National Assembly.

Spokesperson of the group, WO 1 Izon-Ebi, described the percentage allocation to host communities as unfavourable.

Izon-Ebi, in a statement, said the PIB is a coup against people of Niger Delta, adding that it would fight until the bill is reviewed.

The group warned that its commanders have returned to the creeks of the Niger Delta, in preparation to strike.

The statement titled, ‘We Will Defend Our God Given Resources’, said: “We will fight until obnoxious sections in the PIB are reviewed by the National Assembly, commanders have returned to the creeks of the Niger Delta region waiting to strike.

“For 56 years, the region has suffered desecration of its sacred places like worship centres, lands, streams, lakes and severe environmental degradation without remediation.

“While the government and people of Zamfara State are allowed to control 100 per cent of their gold resource (fiscal federalism applying in Zamfara State), what the people of the Niger Delta region could get from their own natural resource is a paltry three per cent for host communities and in contrast, a whopping 30 per cent for exploration of frontier basins.

“We will defend our resources and protect our region from further mindless pillage of our God given resources.”

The National Assembly had recently passed the PIB, which allocates three percent to host communities, sparking criticism among Nigerians.