Published below is an unedited version of a press statement emailed to Newsdiaryonline.com by Niger Delta Liberation Force (NDLF) on the sack of General Andrew Azazi as national security adviser by President Goodluck Jonathan.
The militants said “The sack decision by Mr. President is a wise decision that came almost too late as was seen overtly (sic) incompetent which brought Mr. President and Nigerian government to international ridicule and embarrassment on security matters. NDLF had called for the sack of the NSA for long since he was found obviously derailing which result had put hundreds of Nigerians into untimely death by Boko Haram extremists’ activities by bombing worshipping centers and other public places.”
Read the full text of the statement below
NIGER DELTA LIBERATION FORCE (NDLF)
N/DELTA MILITANTS LAUD JONATHAN OVER SACK OF AZAZI
*Declares Azazi non-persona grata for sins of bombing Ayakoromor
The leadership of Niger Delta Liberation Force (NDLF) has lauded President Goodluck Jonathan for the sack of General Andrew Owoye Azazi(rtd) who was the national security adviser to the president, Gooodluck Jonathan for incompetency.
The NSA was an embarrassment and failure to Ijaw nation/Niger Delta and to the President’s kitchen cabinet as the man misled the President with his archaic classroom military tactics that do not work out in practical combatant operations. The sack decision by Mr. President is a wise decision that came almost too late as was seen overtly incompetent which brought Mr. President and Nigerian government to international ridicule and embarrassment on security matters. NDLF had called for the sack of the NSA for long since he was found obviously derailing which result had put hundreds of Nigerians into untimely death by Boko Haram extremists’ activities by bombing worshipping centers and other public places.
For the record, the sack of NSA Andrew Azazi is unconnected with his publicized accusation against the PDP led government of fuelling the current insecurity and bombings in northern parts of the nation. But it was clear show of incompetence on his part as the worst national security adviser the country had ever had over the years.
One could recall that in 2010, when NDLF had a gun confrontation with the Joint Task Force (JTF) and the JTF lost the battle and the Nigerian army under the watchful eyes and supervision of the sacked NSA sent JTF soldiers to test run their newly acquired military planes and other lethal weapons on an Ijaw town Ayakoromor on the 1st of December, 2010, thereby causing genocide on harmless and innocent ancient community.
As God does his things, Boko Haram from the north, sprung up by killing innocent Nigerians in hundreds under the same NSA, Mr. Andrew Azazi’s security supervision. But failed to deploy the same military war planes and other lethal weapons to bomb some northern towns to stem further suicide bombing as he commanded in the case of the Niger Delta militancy. But to our surprise, the NSA cleverly dodged his responsibility by being afraid of his former generals and ex-military heads of state from the north by shifting blames carelessly and raising accusing fingers at the ruling PDP of brewing the insecurity in the nation. “How does PDP politics caused suicide bombing of churches and killing of innocent Nigerians” Mr., President demanded further explanations from his incompetent NSA unguided outburst.
NDLF therefore, declare the former NSA Mr. Andrew Azazi an outcast and non- persona grata in all Ijaw communities, including his hometown, Peretoru-gbene in Bayelsa state for his personal sins against NDLF and good people of Ijaw nation by supervising the bombing and killing of innocent Ayakoromor people under his nose and failed to bomb any Northern town over Boko Haram senseless killing of hundreds of innocent citizens and foreigners until his last day in office as national security adviser to the President. Also, Mr. Andrew Azazi should be held responsible with all those innocent people that died in Ayakoromor genocide and all the casualties in Boko Haram bombing in the country, resulted from his outright incompetence as national security adviser.
On NDLF ultimatum and declaration to return to the creek, if the federal government fails to pay N1.billion reparation to us and the family of our slain leader General John Togo who was murdered extra-judicially by soldiers of Joint Task Force (JTF) is still in force. But there is mark of hope following the intervention of the special adviser to the President on Niger Delta matters and chairman on amnesty programme, Hon. Kingsley Kuku who appealed on behalf of federal government to give the government a little time to look into our demand and pleaded with NDLF to suspend its planed massive bombing for the enduring peace of the Niger Delta region. It will be interesting to inform the government that NDLF does not have empty threats as history can vindicate us with our past track record and warned government never to treat our demand with kid glove.
The federal government may make the worst mistake by using Hon. Kingsley Kuku to plead with us and abandon us to buy time. We congratulate the new NSA Sambo Dasuki for his appointment and urge him to be ready for NDLF to test newly military acquired planes and other lethal weapons on Ijaw communities like his predecessors. Meanwhile, while the federal government is buying time, we are also recruiting and training our new recruits and acquiring more arms to join our old ones to prosecute another fresh oil war in Niger Delta. As part of peaceful resolution, we appeal to Mr. President to direct Joint Task Force (JTF) to release the remains of John Togo to us as part to enable us give him a traditional heroic burial as Ijaw custom demand ,while waiting for the payment of the N1billion reparation.
Signed
Capt. Mark Anthony, Spokesman NDLF
