* MEND apologizes to Chief Clark
By Emma Amaize
WARRI- MOVEMENT for Emancipation of the Niger-Delta (MEND) yesterday bombed the Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL)-owned Okan manifold, which controls about 80 per cent of the company’s off shore crude oil to its BOP Crude Loading Platform in Delta State.
The group also made a volte face on its disowning, Sunday, of the leader of Ijaw ethnic nationality and former Federal Commissioner for Information, Chief Clark and other Niger-Delta elders who have remained vociferous in their demand for cessation of hostilities in the region, immediate release of all detained militants, including Henry Okah and support for the amnesty offer of the Federal Government.
MEND’s spokesman, Jomo Gbomo in an online statement,said, “MEND has the highest regards for its elders, including Papa Clark, but the struggle is now a regional one where every tribe in the region is a stakeholder. We appeal to Papa Clark not to take anything personal because this is not about him”.
Chief Clark himself was furious on Sunday when he reacted to his alleged disowning by MEND in a chat with Vanguard, asking, “Who is MEND to disown us, what are they fighting for, they cannot disown us, as elders, we speak for the people of the Niger-Delta and what we are saying is that we want peace in the Niger-Delta, they should stop bombing of oil installations and accept amnesty”.
The Ijaw leader, however, told Vanguard that as a father, “I want to appeal to the armed youths to drop their arms and accept the amnesty by the Federal Government, I won’t disown them, they are my children but what should be uppermost in the minds of every Niger-Deltan should be things that will bring development to the people”.
The militant group cited the alleged abduction of a royal father in Delta state, His Royal Majesty, Isaac Thikan by the Joint Task Force (JTF) on the Niger-Delta as reason for its action.
Coordinator of the Joint Media Campaign Centre (JMCC) of the task force, Colonel Rabe Abubakar, two days ago, denied the security outfit arrested the said monarch.
On the Sunday bombing of CNL facility, MEND spokesman stated, “ The strategic Okan manifold which controls about 80 percent of Chevron Nigeria Limited off shore crude oil to its BOP Crude Loading Platform was blown up at about 2045 Hrs on Sunday, June 5, 2009 by Hurricane Moses in Delta state”.
Militants in the Niger-Delta
His words, “As long as the Nigerian government and military JTF has chosen to carry out kidnappings and arson against innocent communities and individuals, Moses will fight for them”.
“We are demanding that the abducted monarch who is still being held illegally by the JTF be released immediately or charged to a competent court of law.
“Government should display the highest form of integrity and sincerity over the detention of Henry Okah at this period of his fading health”, MEND asserted
According to it, “Our fighting force has been boosted by volunteers made up of men and women from all tribes and beyond”.
“It is very encouraging to see the people break away from the status quo and we call on every Niger- Deltan to make a sacrifice, as we head towards the promised land”, it added.
Its better for MEND with their apologies to papa Clark. as for you guys that are talking of Abokis/Hausa’s i dont think you guys are Nigerian.
Gashua
Nyala – Sudan
Men does anybody know where i can get a MEND application cos I want to join to fight those Abokis for killing my family 40yrs ago.
I am dissapointed in those Niger deltans wey dey chop oil money from government and thus are too reluctant to give up their comfort to join the struggle.
If the government is sincere, it should urgent send the Hausa JTF out of the Niger Delta region. That should be the first step
Its my turn to blow up the LNG in Bonny
Hacklord, you are right, why :
- do they want to move the petroleum institute to kaduna
- Why priortize derging the Niger to Have a Port in Abuja, While removing
funding from Health and Education.
- All positions have been reverted to in competent people
- Why the renewed search for Oil in Bauchi
- WHy do you think Obama cannot come here, almost all hends he will
shake would be of criminals of some sort, he has worked hard and
HONESTLY to get God’s assistance to reach where he is, the world has
already done away with the nation, you do not build a nation on criminal
behaviour , open stealing and in-justice,
- It is foolish to think that the blood of the inocent people, children killed
and dying daily for no reason in the mist of plenty would go away,
- Why do you think the national reserve is being depleted in a hurry for
senseless project in the north
Even the Niger Delta students are idling away at home. Mend should utilise this segment of the population