Niger Delta Militants – Heroes or Zeros?

‘A Toddler is kidnapped in front of his parents’! ‘An eighty year old grandmother is abducted from her home’! ‘Community destroyed by bitter clash between Militants’! These are just some of the disturbing and alarming news that daily emanate from the Niger Delta Areas.

The story of continuous degradation of the Niger Delta by successive Governments in power is no longer news. The area has over the years passed over in terms of development and modernization. The irony of it all is that 85% of the total earnings of Nigeria are derived from these areas. This situation has led to the taking of arms by the youths to fight against what is seen as an injustice to them by the Government and several Oil Companies operating in the area. This is not so surprising because successive Government has failed to take heed to their various protests and call for dialogue.

In as much as the intentions of the Militants is to bring justice and solace to the various peoples and communities in the area, what is however making their efforts and fight to look like one influenced by desire to acquire wealth albeit illegally is the advent of kidnappings for ransom and the turning of the gun on each other for control. This question keeps popping up in my mind- are they fighting for the masses or for their pockets? Why kill, maim, kidnap and destroy the same people you are supposed to be fighting for?
My fear is that after all said and done and all their demands have been met by the Government their might not be anybody or community left in the area to celebrate the victory with!