The National president of the Ijaw People Development Initiative, IPDI, Austin Ozobo, in a statement, said: “If independence means freedom, then Niger Delta should be free from the age- long captivity, as Nigeria celebrates her independence. Nigeria cannot pretend to celebrate her independence and refused to grant her captives freedom. It is satanic and hypocritical. We have lost confidence in the false contraption called Nigeria.
The Ijaw People Development Initiative, IPDI, yesterday, in Warri, Delta State, told President Muhammdu Buhari, that at 56 years of independence, Nigeria should allow the people of Niger Delta to freely control their resources after feeding the nation for 8 years.
“Niger Deltans want an indigenous freedom, we want to control our resources as it is practiced in developed nations. Nigeria was freed from captivity by her British colonial masters, Niger Delta has been colonized for over 56 years, Nigeria should be ready to free her captive as she was colonized and freed from her colonial masters.
“Buhari should forget about oil in Niger Delta and look for alternative source of income to run his government. Niger Deltans have decided to control and manage their resources to develop themselves. “We do not need Nigeria government to develop us any longer. Nigeria government has failed the region, After 56 years of independence and 58years of oil exploitation in the region. No successive government has developed the region.
“We have seen that it is only the people of Niger Delta can develop themselves so that we want our resources. Nigeria government should be in sober reflection of the sorrowful state of the country and should stop frivolous celebrations,” he said.