We Will Deal with Governor Amaechi, New Militant Group Threatens

A new militant group, under the aegis of Coalition of Militant Action for the Niger Delta, COMA, today threatened to deal with Governor Chibuike Amaechi.

In an online press statement signed by Alaye Teme, and made available to the press in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, southern Nigeria, the group said that in the past few months, weeks and days, the Central Command of the Coalition for Militant Action in the Niger Delta (COMA) has noted with great interest, the plot by a renegade group of Northern leaders to undermine the Presidency of Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

The group said: “it has also noted with great dismay the activities of the Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi who in a rabid attempt to discredit and disrespect the Presidency has suddenly become a pawn in the chessboard of a power hungry and selfish Northern political bloc who believe that they were born to rule.”

It expresses regrets that Governor Amaechi, a Niger Delta indigene, would have the temerity to use the resources of a Niger Delta state to undermine a Presidency led by a son of the Niger Delta.

“This is a sacrilege that must never be forgotten or forgiven. Appropriate measures will therefore be taken in due course. Certain lessons will have to be taught to a few”.


The group alleged that “for decades, the Niger Delta has stayed with Northern Nigeria in its pursuit of political leadership. But if Northern Nigeria cannot afford to stand with the Niger Delta for four more years, then our people must be allowed to peacefully decide if they would like to remain in this contraption called Nigeria.”

The restiveness in the Niger Delta died down when in June 2009 the late President Musa Yar’Adua invoked the provisions of Section 175 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and granted amnesty and unconditional pardon to all persons who had directly or indirectly participated in the commission of offences associated with militant activities in the Niger Delta.

The proclamation lasted for 60 days and elapsed on Sunday, 4 October, 2009.

Since then the oil revenue that diminished by more than 25 percent due to militancy was restored reasonably due to the amnesty to the Niger Delta programme which was sustained by President Jonathan’s administration after the death of Yar’Adua on 5 May, 2010.