In response to the earlier thread on a MEND Reunion this Saturday in Yenagoa, some seemed to assume that The Nigerian Army is all invincible and that they'll crush MEND in hours, they couldn't be more wrong.
MEND under the leadership of Tompolo single handedly brought the Nigerian oil industry to a halt between 2005-2009 with production levels dropping to as low as 700,000 barrels of oil per day, They did this facing the full firepower of an undistracted Nigerian Armed Forces and didn't bat an eyelid and they used crude weapons.
Fast forward to 2015, What has changed?
A quarter of the Nigerian Army is actively involved in desert warfare in the North-East, virtually all nigeria's largely obsolete air platforms are deployed in the NE and the biggest ship in the arsenal of the Nigerian Navy is a ''hand me down'' 30 year old frigate(NNS Thunder) donated by the US Coast Guard ...........................
Contrast with Tompolo who in the last four years has built a sizeable force replete with gunboats and helicopters thanks to his contract with NIMASA which until recently was headed by his cousin Ziakede Akpobolokemi........He still controls a huge following and is practically the godfather of politics in his native Delta state, his support ensured Okowa defeated Uduaghan's preferred guber candidate , for which he nominated another cousin of his as deputy governor, the same extends to the other ex-militants who are all better funded and armed than before, the only question now is their willingness to return to the creeks.
Boko Haram has thrived in the NE with a strategy of attacking soft targets to achieve notoriety, MEND has an easier job, the Niger Delta is a labyrinth of pipelines and flow stations which are all sitting ducks and easy targets guarded by poorly trained soldiers more interested in oil bunkering. An attack on just a small flowline could trigger wide ranging crude supply distractions.
With global oil prices very low and OPEC and US shale producers locked in an intense battle for market share , any little supply disruption in Nigeria can lead to a loss in market share for the country, a share that other countries are eager to replace. With the economy already strained , any loss in revenue due to reduction in production can lead the already fragile Nigerian economy to crash. This is not a doomsday scenario but is the reality if the govt decides to adopt the military approach to solving the Niger Delta issue.
The only viable solution is for Buhari to engage in dialogue, Unlike the YarAdua and Jonathan govts which had some credibility with Niger Deltans and had the backing of Key Niger Delta leaders who had the ears of the militants such as Edwin Clark,Oritsejafor, Ibori, Alameseigheya,Alaibe and even Jonathan himself, Buhari lacks such credibility with Niger Deltans still angry at GEJ'S loss.
The only major ally of his from the ND, Rotimi Amaechi is for all intents and purposes a pariah in the region.
Tompolo is notoriously reclusive , unlike Asari Dokubo who is rather bombastic and garrulous , Tompolo is actually feared and respected by his peers and even the military.
Hell despite Buhari's victory Tompolo still moves about with a full military guard befitting a president.
Buhari would be wise to seek dialogue and reach out to the Niger Delta rather than pursuing an overtly antagonistic policy.
Nigeria cannot afford to fight on two fronts. The already overstretched Nigerian Armed Forces can't handle both..
My two cents though...
cc lalasticlala

Let's see what others say

We do not negotiate with terrorists.... my two cents

i laugh at all those that takes mend for granted.
i just laugh in nupe

jinha:
We do not negotiate with terrorists.... my two cents

The same govt that is being thrashed by Boko Haram and is actively seeking negotiations wants to face off with a well equipped MEND which has the potential to bring down the Nigerian economy,
MEND is so confident they announced the date and venue of their meeting, Tompolo moves around Warri in fully military guard and you think the army can face him...Naivete my friend

nigerianvenom:
i laugh at all those that takes mend for granted.
i just laugh in nupe

we are seriously waiting for them....

SenseiX:

The same govt that is being thrashed by Boko Haram and is actively seeking negotiations wants to face off with a well equipped MEND which has the potential to bring down the Nigerian economy,
MEND is so confident they announced the date and venue of their meeting, Tompolo moves around Warri in fully military guard and you think the army can face him...Naivete my friend

let him continue moving around if that's what he does best...

jinha:

we are seriously waiting for them....

Just like you're waiting for bokoharam

All hail the mighty MEND! So what are they waiting for?

Tompolo still receiving protection from military men #hmmmm

SenseiX:

The same govt that is being thrashed by Boko Haram and is actively seeking negotiations wants to face off with a well equipped MEND which has the potential to bring down the Nigerian economy,
MEND is so confident they announced the date and venue of their meeting, Tompolo moves around Warri in fully military guard and you think the army can face him...Naivete my friend

Tompolo practically owns Delta State...sometime last year i passed his convoy in Warri, you''ll think he was the governor with the level of military protection he has, dude probably has the JTF in his pocket, plus he's pretty popular, something of a modern day Robin Hood, steals from the government to give to the poor.
He remains in my opinion the most dangerous man in nigeria, Jonathan was wise enough to keep him very close and give him goodies, Buhari should handle this issue with tact, that dude can bring down the nigerian economy.

Themonster:


Just like you're waiting for bokoharam

you're absolutely correct....



when they're ready to attack... just lemme know... #oshisco

Op I raised this point earlier that Buhari is making enemies while he's still in hot soup.

first he terminated pipeline contract

second he ended amnesty

plus other provocations

and yet some people are blabbing that our army is equal to the task the same army tompolo single handedly defeated in ruthless obj regime.

hmmm all i can see is buhari making this country ungovernable for himself.

remember Nnamdi Kanu is watching in 3d

The message is not well deliver, mind you, the militants we see during JonaTan regime we shall see them no more during PMB regime.

jinha:

you're absolutely correct....



when they're ready to attack... just lemme know... #oshisco

keep ranting in your bedroom because it changes nothing
#anumpama

Tompolo nor dey make noise, he nor be Asari.....he does his things codedly.......Camp 5 days back in 2009, he brought the Nigerian Army to their feet they had to beg him to accept amnesty, General Sarkin Yaki Bello can testify.

Baawaa:
The message is not well deliver, mind you, the militants we see during JonaTan regime we shall see them no more during PMB regime.

Just like Buhari is dealing with bokoharam now

my friend stop the chest beating and face the real facts here.

by the time tompolo will finish with Nigerian economy even the military will lack funds to fight bokoharam and you know what? North East will be history

lalasticlala maybe this thread deserves front page.

Buhari is waging multiple sophisticated war while he's still battling one.

LordVarys:

Tompolo practically owns Delta State...sometime last year i passed his convoy in Warri, you''ll think he was the governor with the level of military protection he has, dude probably has the JTF in his pocket, plus he's pretty popular, something of a modern day Robin Hood, steals from the government to give to the poor.
He remains in my opinion the most dangerous man in nigeria, Jonathan was wise enough to keep him very close and give him goodies, Buhari should handle this issue with tact, that dude can bring down the nigerian economy.

I laugh when i see guys treat MEND with levity, they are not boko haram, these guys crippled Nigeria"s production so bad YarAdua had to beg them to accept amnesty,
One said SSS will easily pick him up, Tompolo wey nor dey hide for Waffi, make dem go Jakpa road go pick am now.

[img][/img]

Below:
Image 1: NNS EKUN, P183
Image 2: NNS SIRI P181
Image 3: Rear view shot of NNS Ayam P182, an Armacraft CROQ 1270(extreme left),an array of large patrol craft(in the distance) and a pair of Manta Mk.II ASD Littoral interceptors

Themonster:


keep ranting in your bedroom because it changes nothing
#anumpama

u
telling us he's going to attack changes nothing either...



are you his PRO?

Themonster:


Just like Buhari is dealing with bokoharam now

my friend stop the chest beating and face the real facts here.

by the time tompolo will finish with Nigerian economy even the military will lack funds to fight bokoharam and you know what? North East will be history

You mean one man can render Nigeria useless, that is not possible. Do you still remember Odi community, what about Henry Okah?Let Tompolo or what you call his name mess up,GMB not PMB will deal with him ruthlessly.

Okay

Thank God for a forum like this one where frustrated and jobless youngins can come and express their fantasies about imaginary and utopian republics, infantantile postulations and prognosis about the imminent disintegration of the country, as well as channel their frustrations lest they lose their minds and run mad. Keyword here being fantasies

Sad

TheImp:

I laugh when i see guys treat MEND with levity, they are not boko haram, these guys crippled Nigeria"s production so bad YarAdua had to beg them to accept amnesty,
One said SSS will easily pick him up, Tompolo wey nor dey hide for Waffi, make dem go Jakpa road go pick am now.

That said i doubt they'll want to return to the creeks.

You must be high on something.
OBJ sent a minor expeditionary force to the SS and the whole SS started crying "genocide, genocide".

MEND is not foolish enough to attempt suicidal confrontation with Buhari, a war veteran!
If they do, Nigerians will not be moved by any crocodile tears until total annihilation of creek thugs and oil buccaneers is completed to zero man standing!

Baawaa:

You mean one man can render Nigeria useless, that is not possible. Do you still remember Odi community, what about Henry Okah?Let Tompolo or what you call his name mess up,GMB not PMB will deal with him ruthlessly.

yeah it's not all about chest beating it's all about facts truth is that Nigeria military is weak to fight two sophisticated war now. remember bokoharam is still looking for a loophole to invade the whole north and if buhari channels his energy on ND.
ok what if tompolo blows all the pipeline in ND just like they are doing in Obj era that halted Nigeria.

mr talk with facts

talking about odi community in war there's no person right it's all people "left" so who later win? FG or ND

the earlier you realize that this man has Nigeria in his palm the better for you.

btw

obj and Buhari who's more ruthless

Look at the way these fools are hyping a militant. Some even say he's tougher than boko haram. Can he strap himself up with bomb? No, cos life is too sweet.

All the FG need to do is to seize his investment in nigeria, tell their foreign allies to do the same for the ones abroad then watch him cry.

The militants had a field day cos we all thought they were freedom fighters. But now that it's clear that they are only after their pockets, they will be bombarded alongside any village that abhors them.


Only fools believe a single man can hold nigeria to the ground.

Shekau did it cos we had a chicken-in-chief at the helm of affairs then.

jinha:
u
telling us he's going to attack changes nothing either...



are you his PRO?

i repeat you know nothing

it's not all about NL ranting

SenseiX:

The same govt that is being thrashed by Boko Haram and is actively seeking negotiations wants to face off with a well equipped MEND which has the potential to bring down the Nigerian economy,
MEND is so confident they announced the date and venue of their meeting, Tompolo moves around Warri in fully military guard and you think the army can face him...Naivete my friend

Tompolo is now a combination of super man,hulk and king kong abi? Time shall tell.

nigerianvenom:
i laugh at all those that takes mend for granted.
i just laugh in nupe

i dey look them in 3d..