A group, the Forum for Ethnic Nationalities of Niger Delta (FENND) says it has begun legal process against the federal government over the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) recently passed into law, as well as the Grazing Reserves and Water Resources Bill.
The Forum said the law is for the actualization of self reliance, stressing that the law by which the region was conscripted into forced contraption in Nigeria has long elapsed.
It noted that the three percent allocated to host communities from the operating cost of the oil companies, grazing reserves, among other laws/bill were act of internal colonization against the region.
The Convener of the forum, Barr. Kester Tawari stated this in Asaba, the Delta State capital, on Friday.
Barr. Tawari said that the Niger Delta will not only oppose PIA, grazing reserves and Water resources bill, but will rally round for Niger Delta republic.
He said: “FENND is a coalition of Ethnic Nationalities of the Niger Delta region, bonded together by share of interest against all forms of injustice, oppression, internal colonization and hegemonic tendencies of the Nigeria State.
“We are pleased to announce the successful hosting of our 2nd summit which was held on Saturday August 14, 2021 at Yenagoa, Bayelsa State where a far reaching decisions were taken on PIA, grazing reserves, the obnoxious national water resources bill among others.
“The Forum will resist usurpation of our unique identities and conscription of our territory into any forced union by our neighbours.
“One of the key resolutions at the summit was FENND to undertake pushback action against oppressive laws by the Nigerian State.
“We are not begging and have never begged, neither were we consulted to be part of Nigeria; If at all, the document by which we were conscripted into this forced contraption had long lapsed.
“After due consultation, we have no option than to seek our own destiny through non-violent and legal means.
“To that effect, we hereby with immediate effect activate the legal process for self reliant, self determination”
The Forum said its has started rally round the Niger Delta region to set up a directorate of legal services to review all existing laws and set up pushback action for the actualization.
