A new militant group, Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC), has threatened to fire six missiles in the oil-rich Niger Delta on Tuesday, June 7. JRC, which claims to be the highest organ of all the freedom fighting bodies, also threatened to shut Nigeria’s airspace in a matter of days.
In a statement issued yesterday, the group gave the Federal Government a 48-hour ultimatum to withdraw the military personnel in the region or be prepared for a full-blown war.
“All oil and gas operations should shut down immediately as our missiles testing will affect their equipment. “Note, we shall commence missile testing on Tuesday June 7, which coincides with the date of our training abroad.
Since the present Pharaoh of Nigeria (Buhari) fails to our demands, we promise Nigerians and the entire world that we are going to surprise them,” JRC stated in a statement made available to journalists yesterday.
While accusing President Muhammadu Buhari of plotting to break up Nigeria, JRC said it was fully prepared for the alleged agenda of the president, adding that it would not hesitate to give a shoot-at-sight order of any uniformed personnel in the region if there be any further attack on Ijaw communities or person(s) by the military or paramilitary.
The statement said: “After an extensive and exhaustive deliberation by all commanders of various groups in Yenagoa, the heart of the Niger Delta struggle last night (Wednesday) and as part of our mission, we are going to test six of our missiles in the region. This is to show the Federal Government our readiness of the American prediction.
“There should be no form of helicopter flying around in the region, as we will not guarantee the safety of such object. “Within our three days of operations, no airplane should fly out of the country because it can target such object no matter how small or big it may be.”
The militant group, however, advised the people of Niger Delta not to panic in the course of test running the missiles.
Advising the military to urgently leave the Ijaw communities they currently occupied under the guise of searching for Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) within the next 48 hours, JRC said it should not be blamed for whatever catastrophe that may befall the officers and their families. The group said: “We have consulted our war gods (deities) that enough is enough and that the time has come.
Since the present Pharaoh of Nigeria, President Buhari, is to preside over the disintegration of the country, it is a good omen. “We ask all Service Chiefs including Minister of Defence to shamefully resign their positions because Nigeria has no security in whatever form. Bravo to our Foreign Marine Crack Team for their ability to shut down Nigerian obsolete surveillance equipment.
“For the records, Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) are not in Delta State, we only go there to strike and return safely to the struggle base, Bayelsa State.” It also threatened to shut down the Nigerian satellite orbit within the week in order to disrupt communication in the country.
“Our fighter expert team, who have already arrived the region from training through our country’s porous borders with our foreign partners, are going to showcase what they have learnt in the past, shall be positioned in the six Niger Delta states.
“Our struggle is not for any human blood, but we have been pushed to the wall for justice because our patience is running out on a daily basis as Nigerian uniformed men are killing our innocent people continuously,” the statement noted.
