A newly formed militant group, the Niger Delta Development Force, has threatened to bomb oil installations over an alleged plot to use a Federal High Court in Abuja to deny Rivers State’s local government allocation.
The group’s threat comes ahead of a decision expected from Justice Joyce Abdulmalik on Monday, which is anticipated to have significant implications for local governance in the oil-rich state.
The group claims that Nyesom Wike, the Federal Capital Territory Minister, is leveraging his influence and relationships with members of the judiciary to secure rulings that undermine the governance of Governor Sim Fubara of Rivers State.
The spokesperson of the group, Justin Alabraba, in a statement on Sunday, stated that any judgment that denies local governments in Rivers State its statutory monthly allocation will be met with heavy destruction of oil installations.
Alabraba emphasised the group’s readiness to act, declaring, “Let them try it on Monday and see. We will shut down major oil pipelines, and it would be the beginning of the worst to come. Wike cannot be using Tinubu’s powers to cause problems in Rivers State.”
The threat raises concerns about potential violence and disruption in a region already fraught with socio-political challenges and a history of militancy tied to the oil industry.
As the ruling date approaches, local authorities and stakeholders are bracing for possible fallout from the court’s decision.
