The Niger Delta Development Force (NDDF), a grassroots coalition in the Niger Delta, has issued a warning to shut down oil installations if any court ruling halts revenue allocations to the 23 local government councils in Rivers State. The group, which expressed their stance over the weekend, cautioned that if an Abuja judge moves to seize these allocations, they will respond with severe actions, including bombing critical oil facilities in the region.
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Group spokesperson Justin Alabraba, speaking on Sunday, warned that any court decision targeting Rivers State allocations could lead to “heavy and devastating destruction” of vital oil installations. “Let them try it on Monday or any other day, and see what will happen,” Alabraba stated. “We will shut down major oil pipelines and production installations.”
Alabraba further warned President Tinubu of the risk of unrest if Rivers State’s stability is compromised, saying that the region’s strategic oil production could face unprecedented disruption. He urged caution in judicial decisions involving Rivers State, hinting that unrest could ripple throughout the Niger Delta if any judgment is rendered against the state’s statutory entitlements.
The NDDF alleged that Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike is leveraging federal influence to sway Abuja-based judges against Rivers State, intending to undermine Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s administration.