CHEERING ON THE NIGER DELTA AVENGERS; WAY TO GO?

A few days back, I was walking through a beer parlour when I heard some of the men talking in an overly enthusiastic manner.
From my experience, alcohol does not arouse such enthusiasm and excitement, especially with the shape of our economy.
I took a pause to understand the reason for their excitement and to say the least, I was ashamed.
I was ashamed that grown up Nigerian men were excited because of a blind piece of news that the notorious Niger Delta Avengers were killing Nigerian soldiers in the Niger Delta. I couldn't understand what special joy they derived, and really, at that moment, I couldn't help but question the possibilities of a once again strong and United Nigeria.
These were Nigerians (I don't care whether they claim otherwise) who were rejoicing at the "exploits" of a band of economic saboteurs.
The other day, a senior cousin ecstatically affirmed that the Nigerian army in all their might and firepower would never defeat the avengers.
Now, I really don't want to delve into the legitimacy or otherwise of the Avengers' struggle.
I'm more concerned about their modus operandi and the impact of their activities on the Nigerian economy as a whole.
The Avengers have a legitimate cause but above that, they bear a moral burden to prove that their struggle is not their own way of forcing the Government's hand to acquiesce to their demands and also getting revenge for their "brother's" defeat at the polls last year.
Okay, let's see it from another perspective: the Niger Delta Avengers are blowing up pipelines in the Niger Delta and aside the attendant effects on the economy, the people of the Niger Delta are bearing the brunt.
The oil is spilling into the rivers, the fishes are dying, the water is polluted.
And then I ask myself, what is the point of fighting this way when the people you are fighting for are getting more uncomfortable as a result of your exertions.
The very first victims of the Niger Delta Avengers violent crusade are the people of the Niger Delta themselves.
So, why kill the people you want to liberate?
Again, I am not even trying to stop the avengers from bombarding oil installations.
I want to see if I can appeal to the common senses of the people who sympathize with the violent methods of the Avengers.
Really, what is the difference between you and those who were also sympathetic to the Boko Haram in their heydays?
It is common knowledge that Nigeria is suffering from a Dutch Disease inflicted upon her by her over dependence on Oil as a major source of Foreign Exchange.
Also, Nigeria generates electricity from the petroleum sector as well.
Now, since we get most of our money from the proceeds that come from the export of crude oil, don't you think that we will no longer make as much as we used to make considering that our output has reduced because the activities of the Avengers on the pipelines?
I understand the tendency to say that the money that was being generated from the export of crude was not getting to everyone but I still doubt whether it's better for nobody at all to benefit from crude oil sales.
Again, electricity supply has dropped basically due to the activities of the Niger Delta Avengers as well.
Need I say that Foreign Investors are also puking at the thought of doing business in a Nigeria that is being ravished by the activities of the Niger Delta Avengers.
I can go on and on but the simple fact is that the Avengers have caused a lot of harm to the Niger Delta people and to Nigerians as a whole.
The best any reasonable person can do is to hope for an improvement in the standard of living in the Niger Delta as well as a peaceful resolution to the restiveness in the region because if the saboteurs continue unabated, we all will bear the brunt as we already are.