Niger Delta: MEND Vows to Breach Ceasefire
•Two Lonestar expatriates released
From Ahamefula Ogbu in Port Harcourt and Gboyega Akinsanya in Lagos, 06.26.2008
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has said it will breach the unilateral ceasefire it declared last Sunday due to a blockage of one of its camps by men of the Joint Task Force (JTF).
Following the attack on Shell Bonga Oil Field by MEND, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua last weekend directed the task force to flush out militants in the Niger Delta, a confrontation that last Tuesday allegedly claimed the lives of more than 15 militants.
But MEND spokesperson Jomo Gbomo said last Tuesday night that the Nigerian military blocked the channel leading into one of its major camps with eight heavily armed gun boats in preparation for what he described as a dawn of invasion.
Gbomo said: MEND still wishes to reiterate its willingness to respect its unilateral ceasefire but would not hesitate to call it off at the slightest provocation or threat.”
He said despite the ceasefire, the Federal Government “is yet to approach Henry Okah who is facing a 48-count charge in court as requested.”
However, the JTF Flush-out III Commander Lt. Colonel Sajir Musa, denied any military confrontation with the militants, adding that the ceasefire was observed.
Gbomo said MEND decl-ared ceasefire in respect of pleas by elders such as Chief Edwin K. Clark and others who assured them of immediate mediation.
He said: "Chief Clark is 80. His age made us concede. However this is temporary and if issues such as Henry Okah's release is not addressed, then we will know the whole peace talk is another fraud and this will result to renewed hostilities."
Gbomo said MEND never planned a possible showdown with the Nigeria Armed Forces because it “is not a conventional fighting force.”
But he said guerrilla tactics would be embarked on to cripple the entire oil industry across the Niger Delta should its camps be attacked. Describing the Federal Government’s attitude to resolving the Niger Delta crisis as insincere and lukewarm, Gbomo said the only way to bring peace to the region was for Okah to be released unconditionally to allow him become a part of the peace process.
Meanwhile, two expatriate staff of Lonestar Drilling Nigeria Limited, George Scerri (Maltan) and Mohammed Asif (Pakistani), kidnapped four weeks ago from Omoku, Rivers State have been released.
The release came as spokesman of the JTF in Rivers State raised an alarm that there was a calculated attempt to label the JTF as an occupational force which kills and attacks innocent people at will.
He therefore urged members of the public to disregard any information pushed out by the militant groups, saying they were in the region to protect law-abiding citizens.
The duo who had been in custody of the militants were left by the roadside near Mbiama, at about 1am yesterday from where they were picked up and rejoined the company.
So far, no group has claimed responsibility, though Lonestar Public Relations Manager, Mr. Chidi Ugorji, said there was no ransom payment as the company allegedly lacked resources as it was yet to recover from the kidnap of the wife of the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. Humphrey Idisi.
Idisi who was said to be hypertensive took ill in the custody of her captors before pressure was mounted on her husband who allegedly paid N200 million to secure her release.
She was said to have been released from the camp of Boylof in Bayelsa State thereby fortifying the theory that the attackers who had stormed the vicinity of their abode with unprecedented fire power came from outside Rivers State to carry out the attack.
The abductors of the duo had made ransom demands of between N1 billion which was later reduced to N500 million and at last before their release, N150 million.
