By RismadarVoice Media
January 2, 2026
Former members of the Niger Delta Liberation Force (NDLF) have commended the United States military for what they described as successful clampdowns on terrorists in northern Nigeria.
The statement, signed by the group’s former spokesman, Captain Mark Anthony, was circulated to journalists in Warri, Delta State, on Friday.
While praising the operations, the group expressed concern over the persistent threat posed by northern terrorist groups, noting that countless Nigerians, including Muslims, had been killed, with Christians being the major targets.
“We, the disbanded Niger Delta fighters of the NDLF, led by the late General John Togo, hereby commend and support the ongoing military operations of U.S. soldiers in northern Nigeria against terrorists,” the statement read in part.
The ex-militants urged the U.S. government to publicly identify and prosecute individuals, including some clerics, government or military officials, suspected of supporting terrorism in Nigeria.
The statement emphasized that the NDLF’s past struggle in the Niger Delta was economic in nature, aimed at securing inclusion in the region’s oil wealth, and condemned later violent acts attributed to the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), including bombings in Warri and Abuja.
While applauding the Federal Government for granting a pipeline surveillance contract to High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, through Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, the group called for additional government support to address the socio-economic deprivation in the region.
“The people of the Niger Delta are still living in abject poverty. Over 95 per cent of Ijaw communities have no clean drinking water, no clinics, no electricity, no motorable roads, no standard school buildings,” the statement said.
The ex-militants further criticized the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), describing it as an agency that has largely failed its mandate, enriching political elites while neglecting communities.
“The continued underdevelopment of the Niger Delta region is a great security concern to global security. We call on U.S. President, Donald Trump to show concern for the oil-rich but abandoned oil-producing communities,” the statement added.
The group warned that neglect of the region could lead to a resurgence of militancy, as younger generations may rise in protest against longstanding deprivation.
