IT may not be news that government or its agencies reach out to militant groups who take hostages for ransom. What may be curious, however, is the price paid to pacify some of the deviants like the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation's (NNPC) experience.

Yesterday, NNPC's Group Managing Director (GMD), Abubakar Lawal Yar'Adua, admitted that the corporation held talks with the militants and even paid them N1.4 billion ($12 million) in the two months before they allowed the corporation to repair a damaged oil facility in Delta State.

Yar'Adua in his testimony before the House of Representatives Committee on Finance probing revenue earnings and remittances to the Federal Government, said that the action was to stop further loss of revenue by the government.

Yar'Adua who led management of the NNPC to the public hearing, said that the Charmoni facility attacked by the militants is operated by the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), the corporation's major revenue earning subsidiary. He said the NNPC paid the money to the militants because attempts to put the facilities onstream were threatened by gunmen and "the management had to negotiate with them."

http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/news/article01//indexn2_html?pdate=230708&ptitle=NNPC%20pays%20militants%20N1.4b

this country is doom

NNPC is simply lying.

NNPC chop the money.

1.4b is alot that the militants will simply relocate to Caribean and enjoy peaceful life.

The more reason why Kidnapping is a lucrative business

Yar'Adua is a [size=12[i][/i]pt]BOLD[/size] LIAR!

I seriously doubt it. Was the 1.4b budgeted? Yet they can't pay teachers?

let them produce the receipt given to them by the militant on the acceptance of N1.4b


this shows how the country is govern, no planning, no budget , nothing. How can a government establishment just hand over N1.4b to some faceless individual. And the fool who called himself GMD has the audacity to say it in the Parliament, this guys are taking everybody for a ride.

The army sells weapons to militant, NNPC gave them N1.4b , this country will never progress, were doomed.

i was right in my post:

THAT money was paid is no longer in contention. But the purpose for which it was paid and to whom are now the subject of debate.

While NNPC has admitted that money was paid but only to secure a pipeline and actually paid to a local registered company, the foremost militant group in the Niger Delta, MEND, has argued that the money was paid to unscrupulous elements pretending to be agitators while part of it was shared by government officials.

Indeed, according to MEND, what the NNPC paid was more than the reported N1.4 billion.

MEND, however, seems to have an answer to the puzzle. Its spokesperson, Jomo Gbomo, said yesterday that the group was aware that huge payments had been made to some criminal gangs in Delta State as "protection fee."

"From our knowledge, the NNPC disbursed over $25 million (N2 billion) for the scam, which was shared by the top commanders of the military Joint Task Force, senior government officials in Delta State Governor's Office, top management staff in the NNPC."

what a country!!!!

You make money from everything, anything.

someone came on air to say they paid such amount to blood sucking terrorists!!!!
The offeror and the offeree all have cases to answer with God

so they were paid to buy more guns and grenades abi?
e be like say time don reach to relocate b4 those guys go come bomb the 3rd mainland bridge.

the newest profession in town is militancy. abeg, which school can someone study that?

Its unfotunately that, anything goes in this country. Sincerely, it is pathetic and should be seriously condemned!!
Haba !!!! wetin man nor go see for this country

ABEG OOO!!!


DOES ANYONE KNOW WHERE I CAN GET THE TERORIST APPLICATION FORM? PLS LET ME KNOW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, I WANT TO BE A TERORIST OOOOO!!!!!

[size=15pt]MEND denies receipt of NNPC’s funds for pipeline protection [/size]
By Ibanga Isine,Port Harcourt
Published: Thursday, 24 Jul 2008

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta on Thursday said it never collected any money from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation for the protection of oil pipelines.
To prove that it did not collect the funds, which it described as ‘Jacob’s bowl of porridge,’ MEND said it would destroy the Chanomi creek pipeline and other major pipelines within the next 30 days.

source:http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200807240315650

well, the whole thing is getting very interesting. cony man die, cony man bury am

tkb417:

the newest profession in town is militancy. abeg, which school can someone study that?

Study wetin? Just go grab an AK47 and strap the bullets all over your body to make it look scary! Then get a dark cloth to cover your head with two air inlets made for your nostrils and two holes for your eyes. Pronto, you have become a militant/kidnapper!!

Talking seriously, there are times I sit alone and have a deep reflection about the way this country is being run and how we seem not to be getting anything right. Such reflections trouble my heart a lot but it is now getting to a level where I'm begging to just laugh over all ridiculous things that happen around us. I have come to realise that if I dont give myself a good laugh, I might just develop high blood pressure over things I can not change!

NNPC said they gave N1.4b to militants, the militants said they didnt receive any money.
where is N1.4b?

if this is how they manage and spend our money, then ,

This country is at a verge of collapse abba, _{(He covers his face with his palms and nods in Pity for Nigeria)}
A whole #1.4B where did money come from, was it included in the Budget at the beginning of the year or Is NNPC that rich?
Even the Multinational Oil companies that can easily afford it has never done it to the public's notice.
The Yaradua's Think they can just spend Nigerians money any how abi? Even if its true or not _{(Na shoponna go fire them quietly one after the other)}

On a very serious note How can a country boldly come out to confess stuffs that shows that they support Militancy,
by making funds available to them, It can be likened to funding Terrorism.

We really need to pray for a Serious revolution in Our Great county ma Brothers and sisters I tire.

lol

Nigeria= comedy

N1.4b paid to militants?

OK! Militancy is the most lucrative profession now

And on behalf of the Concerned Citizens of Nigeria (CCN) both at home and in diaspora I thereby declare that every nairalander should pls observe 1min prayer and fasting for our Country Nigeria.
Prayer Point: Everybody that is contributing to the downfall of Nigeria one way or the Other, Eledumare O!!! come and smoke them out of this life like PANLA.
And Everybody said Amen, _{Abeg think twice before saying amen,that na very serious prayer point o if u deeply know what I mean}

NAIJA GO BETTER.

NNPC, MEND trade claims on pay to militants

THAT money was paid is no longer in contention. But the purpose for which it was paid and to whom are now the subject of debate.

While NNPC has admitted that money was paid but only to secure a pipeline and actually paid to a local registered company, the foremost militant group in the Niger Delta, MEND, has argued that the money was paid to unscrupulous elements pretending to be agitators while part of it was shared by government officials.

Indeed, according to MEND, what the NNPC paid was more than the reported N1.4 billion.

Meanwhile, political parties, rights groups and militias yesterday reacted to the statements credited to the NNPC Group Managing Director, Alhaji Abubakar Lawal Yar'Adua. They demanded to know the authority that allowed the NNPC to spend such huge amount of money for a job the security operatives could cheaply carry out.

But the NNPC has denied spending the money on the militants. The corporation's management said that it was paid for the policing of oil facilities, adding that the contract was awarded to a grassroots company after negotiation with the host community.

Yar'Adua had said on Tuesday that the NNPC paid the money to militants to secure access to a damaged oil facility in Delta State.

The dominant militia group in the region, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), said the money was paid to armed gangs in Delta State by the NNPC as "protection fee."

http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/news/article01//indexn2_html?pdate=240708&ptitle=NNPC, MEND trade claims on pay to militants

Where are these boys during the Abacha era or millitary in general?. Ken Saro Wiwa was slained without mercy that was somebody who never carry a gun. The solution to Niger Delta is to declare state of emergency in any state where there is kidnapping, let the millitary take over the whole place, it shlould not be left to soldiers alone but the use of Helicopter Gunship, Frigates, and other mordern weapon should be employ to bit the economic saboture unless it will snowball into civil war

hello everyone int he house, pls i want to post a topic here on nairaland but i cant find the window, can any one help with the link?

And these guys are supposed to be fighting for freedom and development. True freedom fighters don't collect bribes. These idiots are just freaking thieves and should go and eat cow dung or manure or maybe yar'adua's shit. Perhaps the rest of us should join the militants, if that's the consequence of their criminal actions, then it is obviously a very lucrative business to be in where there is nothing but huge profits to be made on virtually zero capital.

Like play like play miltancy will soon get listed in the stock market. The MEND 50 group, you will see people checking stock market to see how it is doing, how much "profit" has been made and how much return on "investments" and "capitals" have been attained. The "freedom fighters" indeed, the Che Gueveras of our time, LOL. Rubbish  . Who is the CEO sef, he/she might want to consider branching out into ventures like bounty hunting, coup instigating and assasination, i hear there is profit to be made in that too. Good thing there is no profit to be made in raping if not i feel sorry for females living in port harcourt

It is like you guys read news with your eyes closed. MEND broke this story. And MEND says the money was paid to unscrupulous militants, not to MEND. MEND is actually trying to expose NNPC's bad ethics. So why is everyone calling MEND's name?

NNPC claim they gave the contract to a local company. Well, more often than not, that local company are the strong men of that area - and could well be militants. It is a reality that NNPC have to contend with these days.

Damn!! I must have missed my calling.Let's face it, this is now the most profitable sector of the economy.Every other sector has failed woefully(except of course the corruption sector).This is just one many tragic failures of leadership in this country.We have a president with clay feet,who was reluctant to become president in the first place,and now that he is president does not really know what to do with it.He is overwhelmed by the enormity of the problems of this country and instead chooses to do nothing.That's y even after over a yr in office we can't point to any significant achievement in any sector.Senators are given humuongous amounts as constituency allowances,which they in turn pocket for themselves and their families.While teachers continue to groan in pains.Telecom operators are allowed to operate carte blanch(the NCC is just waking up to its responsibility)A local government Chairman once claimed that he earns more than a professor,what impudence.Only recently,Paliarmentarians in Cote d'voire agreed to slash their salaries by half in order to subsidise the rising cost of petroleum products.Would such a gesture ever happen in this country?Never!Everything in this country is in sixes and sevens.Let me just make one thing abundandantly and categorically clear,as long the poor cannot sleep, the rich cannot sleep either because the poor are awake.My people,make my thesis no bore una,e dey pain me,i no fit help myself.

Ibime:

NNPC claim they gave the contract to a local company.

God have mercy! 1.4 Billion Naira paid to a local company? Only God knows when corruption will end in this country.

cold:

.Only recently,Paliarmentarians in Cote d'voire agreed to slash their salaries by half in order to subsidise the rising cost of petroleum products.Would such a gesture ever happen in this country?Never

Yes o it will never happen. They prefer the cost to rise so much that you and I can not afford to fuel our cars to doing that. Slash their salaries? They cant even slash their stolen money.

cold:

My people,make my thesis no bore una,e dey pain me,i no fit help myself.

No be only you the thing they pain i don tire thinking of all these bullsh**t

@Ibime
what are you talking about?
is this thread about MEND? its about billions exchanging hands between a govt. agency and some social misfits. all in the name of what?

can u really decipher the points from the sarcisms here? the truth in plain language is that the militants are taking 9ja for a ride. and also, corrupt govt. officials are banking on that to steal our money.

Did u say MEND broke the news? how? and even if they did, why should i believe their own side of the story? who will believe a killer? So MEND can actually call some other militants unscrupulous. wonderful!!

@Skyblue
abeg, if you know when they wanna list the MEND group on the floor, i'll be interested in the PP abeg

Na lie, NNPC did not pay anybody that sum of money. 1.4b, na yam?
Nigerians, being the smart people they are, are trying to play the divide and 'confuse' tactics. They claim they paid the money, but MEND is saying that they paid the money to 'another' group and not them. Why is this group nameless. How can NNPC carry 1.4billion naira and give to a nameless and/or faceless group. ARE THEY MAD?
Someone or some people have 'chopped' that money. Granted, they may have paid something, maybe 10million or even 50million to some smaller groups but to cough out 1.4billion and give to an UNKNOWN GROUP IS MADNESS.
Ok now, ALL NIGERIANS SHOULD PICK UP GUNS AND START A WAR THEN. What nonsense. who do these people think they are fooling? Fools?
We certainly are not fools o and we know what is going on!

Come come come, i dey vex o. i cant believe what i am reading. Yar'adua and his cohorts (including the useless GMD) are stupid people. The house of reps must equally be mental.
How can you cough out that amount of money and give to social vagabonds? Is the money not enough to start giving them the goodies they are looking for? With that money you can at least start fixing their roads and thinking of how to provide good health services for them.
IS THIS GOVERNMENT CRAZY, *holding my head in annoyance and shame*
I swear to God, these people in Govt no go die betta o. I cant understand this country. 1.4billion. Tommorow now, that useless Oyo state governor will say that the money he is accused of mis managing was part of the funds he gave to some un named group to ensure that Oyo state remains at peace, following the death of Adedibu.
WE ARE BEING TAKEN FOR FOOLS IN THIS COUNTRY SHA!

You see these fools call govt sponsor this millitancy,the GMD have and Ya'dua have begin another source of problem, them should ready to restand it, based on MEND statement in 30 days time. secondly l see millitancy is the most lucrative profession now, plz I want to go back to school and I want to read millitancy, plz you can inform me which universities is offerin that course

what do these guys take us for? some morons or something?

what the hell are they talking about? N1.4b to who?

they had better come up with a very pallatable story, cos this one does not go down well with us.

these guys should rehearse very well before coming up with their tales. bunch of idiots

barawo