The Niger Delta Red Squad, a militant group, has threatened to teach Nigeria lessons through its next attacks on government, oil facilities. The militant group operating from the Ohaji Egbema axis of Imo State warned the state government of the ending of its two weeks cease fire, saying that the next phase of its operation would take the state by storm. The group in a statement issued through Facebook account alerted that the state and Nigeria would be shocked by their next attack. The Squad earlier said that its activities were against the excessive use and marginalisation of the oil-bearing communities in the state. The statement reads: “Our two weeks cease fire is almost coming to an end, and then we will start full operations. Imo State and Nigeria will be shocked at what we are going to do in our forthcoming attacks.” The militants appeared especially irritated by comments made to the journalists by the Brigade Commander of the 34 Artillery Brigade, Obinze in Imo State, Brigadier- General Kay Ishyaku, while they did not specify the exact statement that got their attention.
“Since the Brigade Commander of 34 Artillery Brigade, Obinze, thinks he can talk to media, let him wait for us at Owerri, we will teach Imo State lessons they will never forget as soon as our two weeks cease-fire elapses. Rochas Okorocha and Army General Ishyaku should get ready. We are coming,” the group added. Earlier, Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta unveiled an ultimatum to the government of Muhammadu Buhari to commence peace talks or face consequences. The federal government had previously confirmed that a cease-fire agreement had been reached with the militant group, which had helped restore oil output from around one million barrels a day to close to two million barrels a day. The attacks have helped support oil prices close to the $50 a barrel mark in recent weeks, with curbed supply forcing investors to hope that the oil market was likely to rebalance in the second half of this year.
