MEND Vows to Cripple Oil Exports
•To provide arms to Ateke Tom
From Ahamefula Ogbu in Port Harcourt, 01.04.2008
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta(MEND) yesterday vowed to cripple oil exports from the Niger Delta region by providing arms including anti-aircraft gunships to the leader of the Niger Delta Vigilante Movement, Mr Ateke Tom in what it said was a renewed bid to counter any possible offensive by Federal Government's Joint-military Task Force against it.
Specifically, the support, MEND said, would be in form of providing him their fighters and making available heavy duty war machines including anti-aircraft to ensure that they present a formidable front to counter Federal troops.
They, therefore warned that “Civilians inside capital cities in the Niger Delta states of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers are advised to avoid milling around army check points and armouredpersonnel carriers as they have become targets for attacks by explosive devices”.
They also announced the coming together of all factions of MEND for the common purpose of protecting the interest of the Niger Delta, adding that the common enemy to all the groups was the Federal Government.
In an online statement issued by Gbomo Jomo, MEND condemned the destruction of properties belonging to Ateke Tom especially the burning of his houses and boats which they explained led to the New Year attack and vowed to continue with similar attacks.
“In its characteristic manner, the undisciplined Nigerian army resorted to an unnecessary scorched earth policy during a raid on the camp of Ateke Tom in Okrika.
“ The burning of vehicles, boats, houses and looting was uncalled for in the first place, which resulted to the New Year reprisal attack on Port Harcourt.”
“Our call for unity amongst every fighting force inthe Niger Delta against a common enemy makes itimperative that MEND take sides in spite of ourdifferences with Ateke Tom and will support him withfighters and heavy weapons including anti- aircraft.Today, the main factions in MEND are back together asone formidable force ready to fight against injusticeand criminality” they vowed.They claimed that they were not criminals as werebeing branded and pointed at former leaders of thecountry and corrupt politicians who steal both oil andrevenue accruing from it as the problems of thecountry.The militants reiterated their allegation thatinjustice in the sharing of the national wealth most owhich come from their land as justifiable reason forthe resort to arms in the face of grossunderdevelopment.MEND commended their men within the armed forces ofthe country for their infiltration of the intelligencechannel which enabled the leakage of the documentprepared on how to annihilate them. “We salute our agents inside the Armed Forces for ajob well done! The leakage of classified informationmeant to annihilate us during a fraudulent peaceinitiative has prepared us for the bloody fightin 2008. Our goal remains to paralyse 100 percent ofNigeria’s oil export in one swoop” they boasted.Meanwhile, the gubernatorial candidate of the ActionCongress in the April polls, Prince Tonye Princewillhas appealed to both the government and Ateke toresort to dialogue rather that take actions thatimpact negatively on the residents of the region. “My latest angle on the Rivers violence is that JTF,the Rivers State government and Ateke know that thisRivers State will remain even after they have gone.Innocent people therefore cannot be victims ofwhatever disagreements they have. I urge all partiesto declare an immediate ceasefire and cessation ofhostilities to allow the area to regain its sanity andfor reason to prevail.“Enemies today will be friends tomorrow. Dialogue isthe only way and whether today or tomorrow eventuallyit will be used. The difference between the options iswhat will determine how many more (innocent people)will die. Ateke should not further justify the actionsof the JTF by killing innocent people".“You have shown you can do peace. Now more than everbefore, show us you can do peace again, then you leavethe rest to God. Don’t give them an excuse to pursueyou. The whole world is watching. Those that don’tknow what you did before must see what you do now. JTFand Rivers State also need peace”, Princewillcounseled. Meanwhile, the State government has debunked rumoursthat it had reintroduced curfew after the New Yearraid by Ateke where over 14 people died.Refuting the rumour, Secretary to the StateGovernment, Mr. Magnus Abe said that while theyacknowledge the security challenge, they were bracingup and ensuring there was safety of lives andproperties in the state while criminals who disturbpeace would be dealt with.According to him, the only place there is still curfewin the State was in Okrika, the home place of Atekewho has owned up to carrying out the attacks in theNew Year.
