Eight persons who were travelling in a Mercedes Benz car were burnt to death while six others were seriously injured when two bombs suspected to have been planted by militants exploded at the Delta State Government House Annex in Warri just as the Post Amnesty Dialogue organized by Vanguard Newspapers and sponsored by the Delta State Government got underway yesterday. The police however confirmed only one death.
Three governors, namely Emmanuel Uduaghan, Ikedi Ohakim of Imo and Adams Oshiomhole of Edo were present at the venue, as were Minister for Niger Delta Ufot Ekaete, former Chief of Defence State Gen. Owoye Azazi, Professor Patrick Utomi, PFN President Ayo Oritsejafor, and the Olu of Warri.   

The dialogue came to an abrupt end after the second successive explosion went off, shattering the glasses at the hall and causing pandemonium. The first bomb exploded when the governors and other top dignitaries’ convoys were arriving at the venue, which had over a thousand dignitaries seated. Though the impact of the explosion shook the whole venue, the arrival of the dignitaries who were looking worried however calmed the situation. 

Chairman of the occasion Gen. Andrew O Azazi took his address immediately after the national anthem, but barely two minutes after the host Mr. Sam Amuka took his turn, another bomb went off, this time a few meters away from the Government House. The impact this time around shook the whole hall, shattering all the glasses and even that of the governor’s main office.   

Confusion enveloped the scene as all the dignitaries, governors, other invited guest and even security operatives ran helter skelter, not knowing where to run to. There was confusion everywhere.  Security sources later said that the explosives were planted in two cars and parked along the NPA express way, the route leading to the government house and very close to the venue of the conference.   

The first explosion was apparently targeted at the convoy of the arriving dignitaries.  Two cars that were passing by shielded the convoy and took the direct hit, killing the occupants and injuring a commercial motorcycle rider and his passenger. The second explosion also affected another car and injured four persons who were close to the spot. 

Though men of the Joint Task Force (JTF) were not seen at the venue, the men of the anti- terrorist squad who were present in every corner took to their heels on hearing the explosion but were to later come back to give protection to the dignitaries who were scampering for safety.   

State information commissioner Mr. Oma Djebah later quoted Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan as saying he ordered the evacuation of all participants at the conference to a safe place while the event has been postponed. He however said the state will not be deterred by this action and will continue to deliver the dividend of democracy to the people.  According to him, “The people of the Niger delta will not be intimidated nor be deterred by the cowardly act of a few opposed to a peaceful and non violent approach of resolving the historic grievances of the region”.   

Meanwhile, a group of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has dissociated itself from the current violent act saying they are committed to peace.

According to the group believed to be loyal to Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo, they have no hand in the incident as they will continue to support peace in the region, but many feared that a splinter unit of MEND may be responsible for the explosions.

Mr Charles Muka, the Delta Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) said police headquarters in Asaba had received the report of the death of a woman in the explosion, which also injured an undetermined number of persons.

http://www.news.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15723:bomb-blasts-stop-niger-delta-confab&catid=46:lead-stories&Itemid=140

Na wa oh

"Niger Delta terrorists''

I like that.

I hope Beaf and his cohorts are sorry for the unfortunate deaths caused by the terrorist acts of MEND's.

ndu_chucks:

I hope Beaf and his cohorts are sorry for the unfortunate deaths caused by the terrorist acts of MEND's.

they may remain silent

propaganda. lots of inconsistencies in the report.

whats the diff between what MEND is doing and what the almajiris are doing up North

vagabonds

ojimbo IV:

propaganda. lots of inconsistencies in the report.

mention one "inconsistency".

1 = attacks in the north => terrorism
2 = attacks in the south => freedom fighting, liberation movement, propaganda, etc.

1 + 2 = nairaland.com

auwal87:

mention one "inconsistency".

1 = attacks in the north => terrorism
2 = attacks in the south => freedom fighting, liberation movement, propaganda, etc.

1 + 2 = nairaland.com

you need glasses.

So some people still take that terrorist newspaper called dailytrust serious?

chosen04:

So some people still take that terrorist newspaper called dailytrust serious?

you can imagine.

chosen04:

So some people still take that terrorist newspaper called dailytrust serious?

punch reported the news
thisday reported the news
daily sun reported the news

terrorism is terrorism, no matter who did it.

auwal87:

mention one "inconsistency".

1 = attacks in the north => terrorism
2 = attacks in the south => freedom fighting, liberation movement, propaganda, etc.

1 + 2 = nairaland.com

Lol

Which kain tory be this?

There is only one MEND, not Tompolo or anyone else under the current amnesty.

THISDAY
Bombs Disrupt Post-Amnesty Conference
From Omon-Julius Onabu in Warri and Ahamefula Ogbu in Port Harcourt, 03.16.2010
The fragile peace in the Niger Delta was further threatened yesterday following two explosions outside the perimeter fence of the Delta State Government House Annexe in Warri, Delta State, aborting a Post-Amnesty Dialogue organised by Vanguard Newspapers.
The two-day programme that attracted major stakeholders in the region abruptly came to an end amidst stampede and the news of the death of one person.

Militant group, the Movement of the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The first explosion went off at about 11am, some 200 metres from the Government House Annexe. Security personnel, government officials and the organisers reassured conference attendees of their safety.
As officials were trying to calm an obviously shaken audience, another explosion planted in a car parked close to the gate of the Government House Annexe exploded.

The second blast sent splinters into the Government House, shattering windows at the conference hall. Four cars and a motorcycle were burnt down while many others were damaged.
The state Governor and Chief Host Emmanuel Uduaghan, Minister of Niger Delta, Chief Ufot Ekaette, who represented Acting President Goodluck Jonathan, the Chairman of the occasion and one-time Chief of General Staff, General Andrew Azazi, Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, Govenror Ikedi Ohakim of Imo State and the representatives of Governors Theodore Orji of Abia and Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom were whisked out of the Conference Hall by security operatives.
Other participants were also evacuated. The conference was titled “Restoring Hope in the Niger Delta.”

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Delta, Mr. Charles Muka, confirmed the death of one person. Other unidentified persons were also said to be injured, according to the police. The number of the injured was however not released.
A statement by the state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Oma Djebah, confirmed the incident. The state government said: “The people of the Niger Delta will not be intimidated nor deterred by the cowardly act of a few opposed to a peaceful and non-violent approach of resolving the historic grievances of the region. We assure all that we will not be deterred in our determination to fast-track the development of our people.”

Also, a statement signed by the General Manager and Editor-in-Chief of Vanguard Newspapers, Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, expressed shock that a conference organised in the interest of peace is being aborted by the same people it was meant for.
“For a successful dialogue, Vanguard had lined up all representatives of all tiers of government to come and discuss their scorecards for development in a way that must ginger all to action. These were supposed to be discussed by the militants, members of the civil society, international organizations and the road map for development clearly re-defined with stated deliverables and timelines.

“It is therefore most regrettable that this noble project was aborted by the same people for whom it was designed to elevate. Vanguard, as a public trust had diligently invited all, including the known leaders of the militants to this proactive event. Vanguard remains committed to peace and development in the Niger Delta and shall pursue this noble initiative after due consultation with all stakeholders. We shall not relent on our pursuit of common good, equity and justice in our federation,” he said. 
Meanwhile, MEND has said it planned and executed the attack. In what looks like a movie, the group sent out a warning about the impending attack before detonating the bombs.

Two statements from Spokesman of the group, Gbomo Jomo, sent to THISDAY at 10.44am and 11:26 am confirmed this.
Jomo’s statement also appears to be a premeditated attack on Uduaghan who he claims declared on February 22, 2010 that the group is a media creation. MEND therefore wanted to prove its existence, hence the bomb attack, he said.
“After receiving the baton of ignorance from his Bayelsa State counterpart, the Governor of Delta State declared in the Vanguard newspaper of February 22, 2010 that the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) is a media creation,” Jomo said.

“This assertion coming from the same person who claimed publicly that an oil pipeline can be destroyed by one man armed with a bottle of petrol, is hardly surprising. What is surprising is how he managed to obtain a science degree.
“Thinking of no better way to announce our continued presence in the Niger Delta to Mr. Uduaghan, operatives of MEND today March 15, 2010, successfully breached the security at the Delta State Government House in Warri and planted three explosive devices in and around this compound which is the venue of the Vanguard Post Amnesty Dialogue organised by the Vanguard newspaper. These devices will be detonated remotely.
“In our usual effort to prevent the loss of innocent lives, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta advises the immediate evacuation of the Government House Annex Warri and its immediate surroundings up to the Delta State Broadcasting Corporation.

“The time given for this evacuation before the detonation of the first bomb is thirty (30) minutes which will elapse by 1130 hrs Nigerian time. The primary school bordering the Government House Annex should be evacuated immediately! The first bomb will be detonated at exactly 1130 hrs. We will thereafter advise on the other devices planted within and around the venue of the Vanguard Newspaper organised and Delta State sponsored conference. Organisers and participants at this jamboree will ignore this warning at their peril!!!
“People must not remain in their cars and attempt to drive their cars and maintain safe distance from all cars and the area,” MEND added.

MEND said the Federal Government had been organising endless conferences which it said would no longer be tolerated, describing the Vanguard conference as “one of the tools of deception”.
The group insisted that what the Nigerian State continues to deny the Niger Delta people of the crumbs that fall from oil while big men in the North and other parts enjoy the full benefits.
It cited General T.Y. Danjuma as one of such beneficiaries. The militant body also berated the governors of the region, describing them as “shameless and visionless stooges of the Nigerian State seeking second term at the expense of the well being of their people”.

MEND warned of further attacks in the days ahead, particularly in conferences of such nature. It asked members of the public to stay away from such gatherings. The group would also carry out a number of attacks on oil installations across the Niger Delta.
“In the coming days, we will carry out a number of attacks against installations and oil companies across the Niger Delta and will spread out to companies such as Total which have been spared in the past. We hope the actions which will follow will persuade Mr. Uduaghan that we exist outside of cyberspace,” said the group.
Traditional rulers, former Governor John Odigie-Oyegun of Edo and Chief Felix Ibru were among the personalities that attended the meeting.

ok.
auwal can you see the inconsistency now?
PPRO confirmed 1 death, Thisday - 1 death. where did the 8 folks come from? this is propaganda. end of story.

^^^However many people died is State Govt's concern sef. They were given orders to evacuate the place and refused to do so.

ojimbo IV:

ok.
auwal can you see the inconsistency now?
PPRO confirmed 1 death, Thisday - 1 death. where did the 8 folks come from? this is propaganda. end of story.

Dailytrust use eye witnesses in their reports, while the others doesnt. It is as simple as that.

Ibime:

^^^However many people died is State Govt's concern sef. They were given orders to evacuate the place and refused to do so.

How insensitive of you!! Do you think everyone heard of the warning - your reaction woild be different if the dead person is your close relative?  You criminal terrorists will pay for your crimes soon enough.

ndu_chucks:

How insensitive of you!! Do you think everyone heard of the warning - your reaction woild be different if the dead person is your close relative?  You criminal terrorists will pay for your crimes soon enough.

Sharrap dia!

You sound as silly as oyb telling me that MEND shouldnt have announced the warning on the internet because not everyone has access to internet. If they announced on radio, you would say not everyone listens to radio. If they announce on NTA, you would say some people prefer to watch satellite TV.


The only people MEND need to warn of their actions are the security services. It is their duty to evacuate the place.

http://www.saharareporters.com/articles/external-contrib/5525-mends-warri-bombing-another-security-gaffe-and-price-of-uduaghans-callousness.html



[b]When the Delta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan callously said MEND was a mere media creation that existed only in cyber space he must have received from his carry-go audience a very loud applause for his bravado and political wizardry. But that was all politics. And His Excellency now knows better that there is a clear and very sharp divide between political talks and ‘focused lawlessness especially when it involves proving a point.’ How else can anybody imagine that the chief security officer of Delta state despite the fact that he was clearly warned ahead of time outrightly ignored or rather down-played what was an obvious security threat capable of claiming the lives of everybody in attendance at the venue of the conference.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) about an hour before commencement of the conference had sent out alerts that it has successfully breached security at the venue of the Vanguard organized and Delta State Government –sponsored post amnesty conference billed to hold inside the Government House Annex. The group even went ahead to disclose that it had planted bombs in and around the venue. Few minutes to the explosion, the group again warned that the threat was genuine.[/b]

This is an extract from the warning issued by MEND: “Thinking of no better way to announce our continued presence in the Niger Delta to Mr Uduaghan, operatives of MEND today March 15, 2010, successfully breached the security at the Delta state government house in Warri and planted three explosive devices in and around this compound which is the venue of the Vanguard Post Amnesty Dialogue organised by the Vanguard newspaper. These devices will be detonated remotely.

“In our usual effort to prevent the loss of innocent life, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta advises the immediate evacuation of the the Government House annex Warri and its immediate surroundings up to the Delta state Broadcasting Corporation.

“The time given for this evacuation before the detonation of the first bomb is thirty (30) minutes which will elapse by 1130 hrs Nigerian time. The primary school bordering the government house annex should be evacuated immediately! The first bomb will be detonated at exactly 1130 hrs.  We will thereafter advise on the other devices planted within and around the venue of the vanguard newspaper organised and Delta state sponsored conference. Organisers and participants at this jamboree will ignore this warning at their peril. People must not remain in their cars and attempt to drive their cars and maintain safe distance from all cars and the area.”

What other security report would Gov Uduaghan have needed to avert this terrible gaffe and disgrace? Which would have been better or rather more honourable, to delay/ postpone the conference and avoid this embarrassment or use bone-face and at the end be disgraced? Of course, the conference was at the end of the day, still postponed. Supposing the bomb actually exploded right at the centre of the conference venue, could you imagine the quality lives that could have been lost just because the governor thinks his pride was far more important than the early warning and genuine threat of disaster that could have claimed quality lives?

IFEANYI IZEZE, ABUJA (iizeze@yahoo.com)

is Nigeria turning into Baghdad ??

@Ibime, shame on you for your lame attempt at blaming your criminal activities to the idea that the recommendations of some 1958 report was not implemented. You and your MEND criminals belong in jail, olodo.

You sound as silly as oyb telling me that MEND shouldnt have announced the warning on the internet because not everyone has access to internet. If they announced on radio, you would say not everyone listens to radio. If they announce on NTA, you would say some people prefer to watch satellite TV.

ibime - keep justifying the death of innocents. what does anylife matter, as long as it is not one of yours.

ndu_chucks:

@Ibime, shame on you for your lame attempt at blaming your criminal activities to the idea that the recommendations of some 1958 report was not implemented. You and your MEND criminals belong in jail, olodo.

Mugu, what the hell are you talking about 1958? You must be smoking seaweed. I think you are the only one who knows what you are talking about.

You came here chatting nonsense about innocent bystanders, now what do you have to say when confronted with the evidence that Delta State Governor is the only one unconcerned about bystanders? Idiot!

oyb:

ibime - keep justifying the death of innocents. what does anylife matter, as long as it is not one of yours.

STFU and try and make some sense for once in your life. Imagine an idiot like yourself telling me about announcing the blast by internet. What do you have to say about the security services?

Well these people are unfortunate casualties in this war, but these people are fighting for more resource control.

Unfortunate deaths in an unfortunate conflict. I blame the Nigerian gov't for neglecting these people.

This nation needs to dissolve so these blood sucking Hausa-Fulani parasites will leave the ppl of the south alone.

Ibime:

Mugu, what the hell are you talking about 1958? You must be smoking seaweed. I think you are the only one who knows what you are talking about.

You came here chatting nonsense about innocent bystanders, now what do you have to say when confronted with the evidence that Delta State Governor is the only one unconcerned about bystanders? Idiot!

STFU and try and make some sense for once in your life. Imagine an idiot like yourself telling me about announcing the blast by internet. What do you have to say about the security services?

gerry adams - you must be a really twisted individual if you think that passing a message to security services absolves mend of any blame for the deaths of bystanders

what a cheap parlor trick

you are a truly callous individual whose response to your heroes acts of infamy will always be 'up mend!'

the next time around - it may be a hundred people who will die. i know you will still be here bleating about how those deaths are the governments responsibility
small wonder you come up with such lame excuses, its the only way you can sleep at night.

typical hogwash from a disaporan - any nigerian can tell you that security services over here are good for nothing - and your heroes knew that.

the blood of that woman is on your hands, internet terrorist .

Ibime:

Mugu, what the hell are you talking about 1958? You must be smoking seaweed. I think you are the only one who knows what you are talking about.

You came here chatting nonsense about innocent bystanders, now what do you have to say when confronted with the evidence that Delta State Governor is the only one unconcerned about bystanders? Idiot!

STFU and try and make some sense for once in your life. Imagine an idiot like yourself telling me about announcing the blast by internet. What do you have to say about the security services?

LOL, I should have quoted your response before it was edited.  The report you associated yourself with which you have since edited, stated "The crisis of Niger Delta was foretold in the Willinks Commission report of 1958 and failure to implement the recommendations of that report created what is happening now". Na you dey smoke weed.   Na for here you copy de report, olodo http://saharareporters.com/articles/external-contrib/5525-mends-warri-bombing-another-security-gaffe-and-price-of-uduaghans-callousness.html

Show some remourse and stop looking like a terrorist that you are, tell us the loss of life is regretable and you people are sorry for it. That's all.

EzeUche:

Well these people are unfortunate casualties in this war, but these people are fighting for more resource control.

Unfortunate deaths in an unfortunate conflict. I blame the Nigerian gov't for neglecting these people.

This nation needs to dissolve so these blood sucking Hausa-Fulani parasites will leave the ppl of the south alone.

Vampires!!! I like it

Not the first time these MEND terrorists would sacrifice innocent civilians for a mere gesture.

I hope they plan to resurrect all these people they've killed. You can't keep crying about justice while bringing bereavement to families of the people they claim to represent.

@ezeuche, you'll just sit down in idumota and spitting shi-t, go and organise a few hundred like minds, pick some weapons and head north and show us pepper, until then, you still and will forever remain a coward.

oyb:

the blood of that woman is on your hands, internet terrorist .

Please spare me the mindless emotional hogwash!