Despite his denial, ex-President Goodluck Jonathan has been allegedly fingered in the formation and activities of the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA).
Also, findings by the security have confirmed that oil installations were mined before the May 29, 2015 handover to President Muhammadu Buhari. These are the basic points of intelligence report, already made available to the Presidency but which is still being studied.
Last August 7, Jonathan denied having any links with NDA, restating his commitment to the nation’s unity. The intelligence gathering was said to be a confirmation of a similar claim by the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta(MEND).
According to a top intelligence source, who spoke in confidence last night, the NDA was formed as a Plan B option before the 2015 general election. The source said the initial plan was to ask the NDA to declare Niger Delta Republic immediately after Jonathan’s defeat but the ex-President was believed to have prevailed on the group to shelve the idea.
The NDA was said to have been resuscitated after the Federal Government launched a massive probe into the mismanagement of the oil sector. The revelations from the probe were said to have overwhelmed the ex-President, who felt he and ex-First Lady Patience Jonathan were being targeted.
The source said: “We have intelligence report that it is true that the ex-President has been meeting with the NDA militants before the general election.
“The initial plan was to declare Niger Delta Republic after Jonathan’s electoral loss but the NDA members were taken aback when the ex-President conceded.
“Findings confirmed that the ex-President and others being probed, resuscitated the NDA plan when the Federal Government initiated a probe into the oil sector.
“We suspect that the ex-President is afraid that the way the investigation in the oil industry was going, he and his wife will be questioned.
“The fact that some of the conditions put forward by the NDA, including not going after Government Ekpemuopolo Tompolo, and stopping investigation of all corruption probes, have confirmed some of the intelligence.
Responding to a question, the source added: “Intelligence report also showed that the evidence of the attacks of oil installations was planned before May 29. The NDA and other militants had mined these installations before the handover.
“But following the probe of the oil sector, they were mandated to start detonating it.
The source added: “Intelligence report also indicated that a former Coordinator of Amnesty Programme Kingsley Kuku and a former National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Olisa Metuh might have played some key roles in the formation and operation of NDA.”
But both Metuh and Kuku have also denied any role in the activities of NDA.
When contacted, a high-ranking government source, who wants to remain anonymous, said: “It has been known in government circles that Jonathan may be behind the NDA. The speed with which he denied the allegation spoke volumes.
“Despite the denial, the allegations have refused to go away.
“His allegation that MEND is after him is to divert attention from his roles as the mastermind of the NDA . His morbid fear of being investigated alongside his wife is behind what is going on. Investigation has revealed massive looting under his administration. His alarm was just to pre-empt being probed.”