A militant group in the Niger Delta, Adaka Boro Avengers (ABA) has said it had concluded arrangements with other militant groups to declare the Niger Delta region an independent republic on August 1.
The militant group also gave the Federal Government an ultimatum to withdraw its personnel and establishment from the region before the date of its declaration of independence.
It also ordered all northerners and people of the South West to vacate its territory.
ABA in a statement issued on Sunday by General Edmos Ayayeibo, its spokesperson, mandated the Federal Government to use the three weeks’ notice to “move out all military personnel and all government agencies out of the Niger Delta,” and warned that “failure will lead to destruction of military barracks and personnel.”
“We, the Adaka Boro Avengers and all the freedom fighters in the Niger Delta region have met and come to a conclusion that we are declaring the Niger Delta Republic three weeks from today July 18, 2016.
“So we are by this notice calling on the Nigerian government to move out all military personnel and all government agencies out of the Niger Delta. Failure will lead to destruction of military barracks and personnel.
“We are, also, by this notice calling on our fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters living in the northern parts of Nigeria to return home immediately.
“We are also warning northerners and westerners to leave the Niger Delta region immediately within three weeks from now, for their own good.
“If they refuse to heed to our warning, we will use so many as example in the Niger Delta region on the due date.
“We are telling the Nigerian government that enough is enough and we are taking our independence by force. We have our foreign backers, so we are not afraid of the Nigerian government but ready for total war.
“The inhuman treatment given to us by Nigerian government is enough. We can no longer withstand the suffering of our Niger Delta people. They should not take us for fools.