BREAKING: Ex-militant group passes vote of confidence on national chairman, urge govt to accelerate help for flood victims

EXECUTIVES of the National Coalition of Urhobo-Isoko Ex-Agitators, NCU-IE, through her national Secretary, Abraham Ekokotu, has passed a vote of confidence on the group’s national Chairman, ‘General Joseph Figbele’.

This was made known in a communique issued at the heels of well-attended critical stakeholders meeting on Tuesday, in Ughelli, the Headquarters of Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, South-South, Nigeria.

The group said, ‘General’ Figbele remains its national Chairman noting that his office is not, and would not be vacant in the ‘foreseeable’ future stressing that whoever impersonates the Chairman is doing so at his/her peril.

The group also warned members of the public to be weary of transacting business with anyone outside ‘General’ Figbele-led executive saying whoever engages in any dealing with “questionable character” in the name of the group does so at his/her own peril.

Our correspondent gathered during interaction with Mr Ekokotu that the group is inundated with clandestine moves by impersonators who he said, name-drop General Figbele for personal interests which he noted are often dubious, as he warned those involved to desist, stating that, whoever is caught impersonating any of the executive members of the group would be severely be punished accordingly.

The NCU-IE according to the statement is a coalition of men and women of integrity who had been through thick and thing in the Niger Delta project. The group is an umbrella body of ex-militants of Isoko and Urhobo extractions founded with the aim of protecting the interests of ex-agitators and persons and the development of the Niger Delta region. It’s a formidable force that interface with governments and critical stakeholders at all levels.

In another instance, irked by the devastating flood in the Delta region, the group has called on the People’s Democratic Party, PDP-led administration in the state to immediately deploy the machinery of government to rescue victims from the flood describing the situation as dangerous and morbid.

The Coalition also called on the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA to as a matter of urgency rise to the occasion lest the humanitarian crisis resulting from the flood that has submerged the major parts of the state(Delta) in particular and region in general.

Ndokwa, Isoko, Patani, Ughelli South, Udu, and other parts of the state, The Figbele-led group said have been submerged by flood while some schools have been shut down indefinitely adding that the people have lost their means of livelihood to the devastating flood; a situation it called on government to salvage.

“Our people, as we speak are homeless, farmlands have been flooded, no food and shelter. Governments at all levels should come to the aid of the people of Delta State particularly the worse hit areas.

“We call on NEMA, SEMA and other relevant agencies to rise to the occasion. People need shelter

, Medical attention and food. They need clothing and the essence of humanity is to help one another.

Government should treat the situation in the Niger Delta region as a national emergency,” the group stated.