The Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force (JNDLF) issued a statement on Wednesday claiming that some of the top members of Nigeria's military had approached the group and asked them to continue its attacks on oil installations. The JNDLF said that the officers in question wanted to use the attacks as justification to overthrow President Muhammadu Buhari.
General Akotebe Darikoro, who is the "Commander, General Duties, Joint Revolutionary Council, JRC, of JNDLF" stated: "We are constrained to let the cat out of the bag today that President Muhammadu Buhari should be wary about the security of this country as some military men are making move to remove him from power by instigating civil unrest in the country."
The JNDLF stated that some "top military men" approached the group through civil agents, asking the group to "cause and continue" attacks on pipelines in the region. The JNDLF said those officers were interested in moving Nigeria "from democracy to military rule."
The group said that it declined the request since it was not in line with the group's current plan of action. The JNDLF also warned the president that the military wants to disgrace him, and suggested that he take action in the Niger Delta situation.
The Nigerian Army has responded by calling the claim that it plans to overthrow Buhari "false" and a "declaration of war to destabilize the present government by unscrupulous elements."
Colonel Sani Usman, who is the acting director of the Army's Public Relations office issued a statement which warned those responsible for the claims to desist. The statement notes that the army is a "product of democracy", and that it would have "nothing to do with such abomination and heinous crime." In the statement, the Army claims that it is investigating those people responsible for the accusation in order to "unravel the real motive behind it."
By Lincoln Brown for Oilprice.com
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