THE Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators has said that despite the volte-face by the Arewa youths on the quit notice to the Igbo in the North, it will stand on its position that the northerners and the Yoruba in the oil-rich region must leave before October 1, 2017.

The militants, who spoke through an electronic mail made available to our correspondent on Sunday, rejected the call for the arrest of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.

They maintained that call for Kanu’s arrest was used to replace the withdrawal of the quit notice earlier issued to Igbo people living in the North, adding the government and security agencies headed by northerners ignited the quit notice fire.

John Duku of the Niger Delta Watchdogs and Convener of the Coalition; Ekpo Ekpo of the Niger Delta Volunteers; Osarolor Nedam of Niger Delta Warriors; and Henry Okon Etete of the Niger Delta Peoples Fighters were among those who signed the statement.

Others are Asukwo Henshaw of the Bakassi Freedom Fighters; Ibinabo Horsfall of the Niger Delta Movement for Justice; Duke Emmanson of Niger Delta Fighters Network; Inibeghe Adams of Niger Delta Freedom Mandate and Ibinabo Tariah of the Niger Delta Development Network.

Part of the statement by the agitators read, “It is our avowed determination to ensure that the Niger Delta remains focussed on our demands for a total overhaul of the basis of our unity. We have therefore resolved to stand by our previous demands as follows:

“That the northerners and Yoruba should leave the Niger Delta before October 1, 2017; return of all the oil blocs own by northerners and Yoruba to Niger Delta people. Relocation of the oil and gas companies headquarters to their operational base as well as relocation of NNPC headquarters, all other offices that has to do with oil and gas; replacement of the Group Managing Director of NNPC.

“We reaffirm our resolve for the declaration of the Niger Delta Republic on 1st October, 2017. We reaffirm our resolve to resume attack on all the oil blocs that are owned by the northerners and Yoruba in the Niger Delta from September 10, 2017.

“We hereby call on PENGASSAN, NUPENG and international communities to withdraw their members/expatriates from such oil wells/blocs as we shall not spare any person found in such platforms, including NNPC offices in Abuja and Lagos, oil companies’ headquarters outside the Niger Delta region.” – Punch.