THE Pan Niger Delta Forum on Monday warned that there would be grave consequences should the threat of attack by faceless Fulani jihadists group be carried out in Delta State.
The spokesman for PANDEF, Ken Robinson, in told newsmen that the Niger Delta region would respond appropriately if the threat by the unknown Fulani jihadists was carried out.
He was reacting to a letter said to have been pasted at strategic points in Asaba by anonymous jihadist group threatening to attack some areas in Delta State, including Agbor and the state capital.
He said, “Let them try it and see. The consequences will be too grave for the country. Any attack on any community in Delta state is an attack on the entire Niger Delta, and we will respond appropriately. Nigeria will never be the same again if they try it.
“But I think this is taking their stupidity too far. Their erroneous arrogance is being tolerated for too long. If any community in Delta State is attacked by any faceless Fulani group, the consequence will be too dire for the country because the Niger Delta people will respond appropriately.”
Meanwhile, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta has issued a counter-threat against the suspected Fulani jihadists.
In a letter titled, ‘Response to Fulani threat to Okowa on open grazing ban by the Southern Governors’, MEND said if the threat was fulfilled, there would be “dragon war”.
It read in part, “We are warning that if your threat is made to come to fulfilment, no Fulani will ever exist across the Niger Delta and all oil facilities linked to a Fulani will be brought down.
“If one soul is lost, 10 Fulani souls will pay for it. If one facility is destroyed, 10 Fulani facilities will be destroyed. We will respond proportionately 10 times whatever you give, the corresponding response will not be limited to the Delta.”
There was, however, palpable fear in Delta State, especially in Asaba, Agbor and its environs, following the threat letter issued by suspected Fulani jihadists on Sunday to attack the state.
In Asaba, Agbor and its environs, residents were seen in clusters, discussing in low tone and expressing fear over a possible attack.
They urged the Delta State Government not to treat the attack letter with levity.
However, the Command spokesman, Bright Edafe, who stated this on Monday, said undercover police operatives had been deployed across the state for the purpose of gathering intelligence on the matter.
In a related development, the leadership of Fulani in the state has distant themselves from the purported letter threatening to attack the state.
Speaking on Monday in Asaba, the leaders of the group in the state, Alhaji Abubakar Haruna, the Fulani Coordinator Delta State, Useni Haruna, the Sarki of Asaba, the Chairman, Miyetti Allah in the state, Musa Mohammed, and Multer Usman, said they were not part of the threat.
