Clark Warns FG To Be Wary Of ‘Laptop Militants’

A leader of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, Chief Edwin Clark, has warned the federal government against dealing with some so-called militant groups in the Niger Delta region which he termed as ‘laptop militants’.

He spoke following series of threat by the suppose ‘laptop militants’ to members of PANDEF, adding that his group wouldn’t be intimidated by the recent threat.

BigPen Online recalls that Reformed Niger Delta Avengers had recently threatened that they would resume hostilities should the Federal Government recognise PANDEF forum as the mouthpiece of the Niger Delta people.

But Clark, according to a Punch report had advised Nigerians to dismiss the threat because the group doesn’t exist.

“Those are laptop militants; they don’t exist. Four of them will sit down in their houses and be issuing threats”.

“These threats have existed since November 2016 when we met with Mr. President at the Villa. Some of these faceless boys issued the same threat and since then, they have been issuing threats.”

Speaking on the heavy presence of security agents at the venue of PANDEF recent meeting, Clark blame the federal government for the military incursion, saying that the government had treated the group as if they are now a threat to the government

His words: “The Federal Government was responsible for the unfortunate incident. I say this because I contacted the Director of Operations, Department of State Services in Abuja, who confirmed that they received an order from above.

“They (DSS) did not give any reason. So, we are asking them to give us reasons because we are not enemies of the government, we are friends of the government and we are doing our best to ensure peace in the Niger Delta.

“We had the last meeting with the Acting President then on the 3rd of August, which lasted for about three hours – from 7pm to 10pm. About 10 of our members attended a council meeting in Akure; that meeting was organised by the Ministry of Niger Delta.

“So, we don’t know why they should block our assembly. We want them to give us the reason why they did so. We are not a political body. Even a political body has freedom to move, freedom of speech and freedom of assembly. We were not doing anything against anybody.

“They should have come to ask us if they considered our action as a threat to the government. If they don’t give us an answer, then we will re-examine the situation.”

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