allAfrica.com * Ibori - Niger-Delta Militants' Raging Threat Daily Trust (Abuja) NEWS 23 December 2007 Posted to the web 26 December 2007 By Musa Simon Reef Delta Last week, former governor James Ibori of Delta state was arrested in Abuja and speedily taken to Kaduna to face a 103-count charge for having depleted the fortunes of Delta to the tune of over N9 billion. Close observers of Nigeria's war against corruption see the arrest of Ibori as a deliberate policy by the Yar'Adua administration to prosecute the war no matter whose ox is gored. Ibori, who is alleged to have sponsored the campaigns of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, has been a subject of running battles between the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Michael Aondoakaa, over fudging attempt to bring the former governor to trial. Last week, Ibori was remanded in prison custody until January 10, 2008 when his trial would commence. The premises of the Kaduna High Court, penultimate Monday, played host to hordes of half naked women protesting the arrest of the former governor. More to this, his arrest and subsequent trial appears to be threatening the fragile peace in the Niger Delta region. Already, the Niger Delta militants have announced a resumption of hostilities and vowed that kidnappings and other forms violence may return to the troubled area if Ibori is not released and discharged of all charges. Last Thursday, the militants pulled out of on-going talks with the Federal Government, alleging that they (militants) have uncovered a plot by the government to weaken them. Announcing the notice of withdrawal from the dialogue, the Joint Revolutionary Council, JRC, comprising affiliate groups in the talk, accused the government of intimidating and attacking the militants in a bid to weaken them and cause division among militant groups in the area. The spokesperson of the JRC, Cynthia Whyte, in an on-line statement made available to the press further claimed the continuous intimidation and attacks waged by government soldiers is clear breach of the conditions that led to cessation of hostilities by the armed groups in the Niger Delta. According to the spokesman, "The attack by the Joint Task Force on the Gbaran-Toru community is a clear example of his campaign to annihilate our people. In spite that we made active decisions to work closely with the David Brigidi Committee, Ijaw communities have continued to be attacked by the so called Joint Task Force. "This is a clear breach of the terms for which we declared a cessation of hostilities. Vengeance in this case will certainly not belong to God," the spokesman stated. Before the final arrest of the former Delta strong man whom former President Olusegun Obasanjo allegedly worked behind the scene for his removal when he held forte as governor of the oil-rich state, Nigerias have doubted whether the present administration would bring Ibori to trial. The trial of Ibori, according to insiders may likely throw up a possibility of renewed resurgence of violence in the oil rich union. With the militants pulling out of the peace talk and recurring attacks by the JTF on Ijaw communities, not a few Nigerians believe that the fragile peace in the oil region is threatening to burst in the face of threats by he militant groups to resume the culture of violence. The militants had called on government to release Ibori and withdraw the 103-count charge preferred against the former Delta strong man or risk occurrence of unprecedented violence in the Niger Delta. Political commentators are wont to express grave worries over the call by the militants, wondering if it is not a call on government to legalise corruption among wielders of political power in the country. Analysts are expressing fear that if government caves in to the militants' demands, it would be an open invitation to the use of threat as a means of cowing down the determination of government in fighting the monster of corruption among the political class. Going by the on going trial, there is little hope that the present administration would accept the group's demand. Since becoming the president, Yar'Adua has always drummed on the need to ensure peace in the Niger Delta as a mean of achieving the unity of the country. Apart from the need to ensure the maintenance of peace in the troubled region, Nigeria cannot afford the resurgence of violence in an area that gives the country over 90% of its revenue. It is against this backdrop that the Federal Government declared its readiness to continue with its vision of ensuring peace and security in the region.But the arrest and trial of Ibori is threatening to breach the agreement that granted a temporal relief from acts of violence. Between the Federal Government and the JRC, who blinks firsts? The days ahead may prove daunting for a government committed to ensuring peace in the Niger Delta and bringing to book past governors who were alleged to have swept clean the public treasury for personal aggradisement. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 2007 Daily Trust. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------