NIGER-DELTA Freedom Fighters (NDFF), the militant group in Egbema kingdom of Delta State, which kidnapped four American workers of the Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), May 8, and released them after 22 days in captivity, yesterday, called on the Federal Government, Delta State Government and the Niger-Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to urgently begin the provision of development infrastructures and employment for the youths in the Ijaw province.
NDFF leader, Egbema One, told Vanguard that before the four Americans who were taken hostage by the group to draw government�s attention to the underdevelopment in the area were released May 30, �Negotiations were made, committee set up and promises were made, but these promises have not been fulfilled and no effort or positive steps taken to concretise these promises.�
According to him the demands of the people were made known to the Vice President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger-Delta (MEND) during his recent visit to Okerenkoko in Warri South-West local government area but the NDFF was yet to see any serious effort to address the issues.
Egbema One said it was because of the discussions during the recent visit of the Vice President to the state that the group has restrained its fighters from launching further attacks, saying,�Enough is enough, we want an urgent solution to these issues or else, we will take the other option, which will render Niger-Delta ungovernable.�
In a letter to the chairman of the Niger-Delta Development Commission (NDDC), dated 14 July, made available to Vanguard in Warri, yesterday, the NDFF leader said the government could put a final stop to hostage taking and other related crisis in Egbema kingdom and the Niger-Delta if qualified Niger-Delta graduates and school leavers were engaged to earn a living.