The Federal Government has once again bowed to the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, saying that it was ready for a fresh dialogue with the dreaded militant group. Consequently, the government pleaded with the group to explore fresh dialogue to ventilate its grievances and seek redress.

The government in extending olive branch to the group which has threatened fresh offensive in the region said it was no longer fashionable to engage in arm struggle to attract the attention of the authorities. The Presidential Adviser on Niger Delta and Chairman of the Post Amnesty Programme, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, stated this in an exclusive interview with National Mirror. The latest position of the Federal Government was a radical departure from its earlier stand that MEND no longer existed and that its leaders had disarmed and embraced the presidential offer of amnesty.

The government had said that those masquerading as MEND leaders were criminals, who would be treated as such. However, National Mirror learnt that the latest position of the federal authorities was a panic response to the threat of the militant group to unleash fresh mayhem on the Niger Delta, particularly the oil industry in the area. Already, the group had claimed responsibility for the recent attack on the production manifold of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company, NAOC, in Bayelsa State and the country home of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs in Ogbobagbene, Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State. MEND has also threatened to attack business interests of South Africa in Nigeria. However, Kuku in the interview with National Mirror asked MEND to  explore peaceful avenues of resolving their problems. 

The days of shooting guns to call for government attention are quite over. I cannot say that there is no MEND; I cannot also say that there is MEND; all I know is that anybody can be aggrieved and can say he is MEND. If you are MEND, the only thing we are saying is come out, Tompolo, the leader of MEND, Boyloaf, the leader of MEND, Fara Dagogo, the leader of MEND have come out and there is peace. 

If you are MEND, come out, we are ready. As the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, managing the amnesty programme and Chairman of the Post Amnesty Programme, I am ready to discuss with anybody who calls himself MEND.  If there is any new leader of MEND or a new MEND arising or the old MEND reincarnating, there is a need for discussion with the Amnesty Office. I am ready to listen.

 I dont know those who are still part of MEND, I used to know MEND as the Tompolos, Boyloaf, Africa, Shoot-at-Sight, Ateke Tom and several commanders and generals in the Niger Delta agitation before but that does not in any way mean that because Chief Government Ekpemupolo, a.k.a. Tompolo and other generals have decided to accept amnesty for peace to reign and for development to come to the Niger Delta, there are no other people that are aggrieved.  I have said it before that the fact that 26,358 persons accepted amnesty cannot totally erase grievances by some other youths in the Niger Delta. The Niger Delta is occupied by over 20milion people and majority of this population are youths.

These 26,358 people are the people we are managing today. As far as we are concerned it is a pilot programme. It means you have millions of youths who are still unemployed, unengaged, who are unempowered. To this end, Kuku urged the governors of the states of the Niger Delta to initiate amnesty programmes in their various states to cater for the interest of those agitating for inclusion in the Federal Government's peace deal in the region. Kuku said the gesture would engender peace and development in the states of the region.

He added,  For those of them (youths) who have lost hope of being empowered by any arm of government again, this is a Federal Government programme and I have urged all governments in the Niger Delta, the governments of Ondo, Edo, Delta, Rivers, Cross River, Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa States must do whatever they can, to may be set up an alternative programme like the amnesty programme in their various states to take care of the youths who are not part of the Federal Government's amnesty programme.  This is the only way we can get some level of peace in the various states. Imagine that the security situation in Warri has been getting very worrisome, it does not in way indicate a failure of amnesty, no. It is an indication of security challenges in Delta State.

It happened in Rivers State, it also happened in Bayelsa State. What it means is that the government of those states must take responsibility for those distinct problems arising outside the amnesty pro The moment I heard some two, three months ago that the gover nment of Delta State was planning a youth empower ment programme in the state, I was very delighted and I am sure Gover nor Emmanuel Uduaghan will make this to pass because if he does that and the government of Bayelsa does the same thing, the government of Rivers State does the same thing, that of Akwa Ibom, Cross River, they all do the same thing, youth restiveness in the Niger Delta will come down.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/news/31138.html

^^^
This is the exact reason why Nigeria will keep suffering.

MEND:
- funded/supported by South South leaders
- enjoy the goodwill of the Niger Delta people

Boko Haram:
- seen as Northern bull-dogs, supported by Northern leaders
- enjoy the goodwill of Northerners

OPC:
- the pride of the Yoruba
- Funded and equipped by Southwest Leaders.

MASSOB:
- heart beat of the Igbo nation
- Supported and funded by SE leaders

Now tell me how violence will be stopped in Nigeria. The only way to solve this mess and retain a united Nigeria, is:
[size=13pt]We need a leader that will be firm, set a single rule for everyone and provide for the people in a sincere efforts to reduce the suffering of Nigerians and empower us to now exploit our individual abilities to create wealth for ourselves and the nation.[/size]

egift:

^^^
This is the exact reason why Nigeria will keep suffering.

MEND:
- funded/supported by South South leaders
- enjoy the goodwill of the Niger Delta people

Boko Haram:
- seen as Northern bull-dogs, supported by Northern leaders
- enjoy the goodwill of Northerners

OPC:
- the pride of the Yoruba
- Funded and equipped by Southwest Leaders.

MASSOB:
- heart beat of the Igbo nation
- Supported and funded by SE leaders

Now tell me how violence will be stopped in Nigeria. The only way to solve this mess and retain a united Nigeria, is:
[size=13pt]We need a leader that will be firm, set a single rule for everyone and provide for the people in a sincere efforts to reduce the suffering of Nigerians and empower us to now exploit our individual abilities to create wealth for ourselves and the nation.[/size]

Point Blank!!
No region will not prepare for the looming war

Is this a joke?

This is a complete joke.

When has Massob been sponsored by leaders in the South East lol. I guess it must have been Orji Kalu who trashed Biafran currency the Massobians were trading with.

OPC? Thought they have all gone to tie Gele after 2003.

Boko Haram, yes, they are being sponsored by those North of the Nig.er and Benue

MEND- Just a bunch of guys hungry and tired of the lies their "South-South" leeaders tell them. At least they are doing something to further the demise of the terrible space Lord Lugards Wife named "Nigg.a=Area"

We should be ashamed for using that Oyibo Lepa's name.

They are asking for a better deal via re-negotiation of amnesty terms indirectly and we all know the place of MEND in GEJ's heart.
With the way Gej is carrying himself, i am afraid we are heading no where yet . . . Just going round a circle.

MEND:
- funded/supported by South South leaders
- enjoy the goodwill of the Niger Delta people

Boko Haram:
- seen as Northern bull-dogs, supported by Northern leaders
- enjoy the goodwill of Northerners

[s]OPC:
- the pride of the Yoruba
- Funded and equipped by Southwest Leaders.[/s]

MASSOB:
- heart beat of the Igbo nation
- Supported and funded by SE leaders

Will you guys please keep OPC name out of your terrorism madness. In the West we protect human rights, not violate it.

mend! are always on code red, don't mess with them,

So if dey did not kil or destory d goverment wil not listen what is happen to dis country so dey want every youth in d region to start fighting killing or bombing be4 dey wil answer us. Answer mend than we wil no that with out volence d goverment wil not answer.d calm youth are watch.GOD HELP NAIJA IF DEY ARE READY 4 HELP.

This is the exact reason why Nigeria will keep suffering.

MEND:
- funded/supported by South South leaders
- enjoy the goodwill of the Niger Delta people

Boko Haram:
- seen as Northern bull-dogs, supported by Northern leaders
- enjoy the goodwill of Northerners

OPC:
- the pride of the Yoruba
- Funded and equipped by Southwest Leaders.

MASSOB:
- heart beat of the Igbo nation
- Supported and funded by SE leaders

Now tell me how violence will be stopped in Nigeria. The only way to solve this mess and retain a united Nigeria, is:
We need a leader that will be firm, set a single rule for everyone and provide for the people in a sincere efforts to reduce the suffering of Nigerians and empower us to now exploit our individual abilities to create wealth for ourselves and the nation.

OPC has never been a threat to any government.

dialogue with criminals again

Yes kee
if FG is cn call  BH for dialogue why not MEND the real owners of the OIL
i don't know why people are criticizing GEJ

gej and south south

^^^^ You mean shon of the soil

The heat is on, na weting oil money they cause. Very soon you go hear MBYF = (MIDDLE BELT YOUTH FORCE) . FG una go dialogue tire. Lets go there Naija i hail