Movement For The Emancipation Of The Niger Delta (MEND)

Issac Boro,
I wonder where you got the info from that Shell does not have staffs. I think it'll be better if you put your point across objectively and stop spreading false statements around. If your so called people are finding it difficult coping with  Masters' degree holding mosquitoes, make them come work for town and cities na. If I sit my fat ass down at home waiting for some government to feed me, na starve I go starve die o! But in my quest for daily bread, milk and butter; I will never engage in any form of violent attacks not would I partake in kidnapings.

Owo,
na where u get your statistics from. It is absolutely not true that the ratio of staffs to contract staffs is 1:5. Abeg back you calims up with accurate data. Like I said earlier, claims should be backed up with correct data. I wonder how someone like you who resides in Ibadan where shell has no dealing can be able to give figure about shell's staff strength.

Fellow country men am not talking to you nigerians this a letter to my country men.
We will suceed the light is within our reach we all have to maintain our dicipline we do not need to brake our formation now that the rope is tightinig it's grip we have to close the gap now that the center cannot hold anymore.
GOODBYE NIGERIA AND WELCOME THE NIGER DELTA REPUBLIC
Please when you get to benin do not forget to ask for visa at the boarder because we will nto allow you aliens in.

Thanks prosper.  Why don't you educate us with the facts?  You want us to visit the area so we'll be overwhelmed by our emotions instead of looking at the issue logically?

Isaak Boro your choice of the name "Niger Delta Republic" has nice established ring to it.    On the other hand, the appellation  "The Chicoco Republic"   sounds a bit like the name of a pidgin-english slapstick comedy television series.

This doesn't taste nice at all,  And our Govt has failed to hold the people responsible for malhandling funds in that reigion responsible for anthing,  At least if the govt pays attention to the proper development of the projects proposed alot of these young guys would look to something other than kidnapping and masking like we are in the middle east, this is really bad please take that picture away please, 

This for those of you not in nigeria 

Hostages latest: US anti-terror squad arrives Nigeria

ROTIMI WILLIAMS and KUNLE OWOLABI

FOLLOWING last Saturday’s fresh hostage taking by militants in the Niger Delta, intelligence experts from the United States are now in the country to liaise with their Nigerian counterparts on how to arrest the ugly trend.

Diplomatic sources told Sunday Punch on Thursday that the US terrorism experts were drawn from a detachment of an intelligence unit trailing Al-Qaeda operatives in the mountains of Afghanistan.

Sources in the intelligence circle put the number of the American experts involved in the covert operation at six.

However, the sources declined to give the identities of the undercover agents, because of the nature of their assignment, coupled with official policies concerning intelligence service.

It was learnt that the Nigerian authorities sought the foreign support, because of the frightening dimension of the security situation in the area.

According to the sources, the option became imperative following the perceived security lapses that led to the hostage taking and spread of ethno-religious riots in some parts of the country.

“Some US terrorism experts drawn from a unit in Afghanistan hunting Osama bin-Laden are already in the country to assist Nigeria’s effort in containing the escalating situation in the Niger Delta and the spread of religious riots,” the official said.

“The six terrorist experts were briefed by the National Security Adviser and the various intelligence chiefs before they were attached to the various intelligence units on the field.”

The sources alleged that there were strong indications that some external forces were behind the spate of sectarian violence witnessed in some cities in the country in the last one week.

“The feeling now is that some foreign influence may be responsible for the increase in religious resentment against the cartoon riots,” he added.

It will be recalled that the US Embassy in Nigeria had declared shortly after the abduction of the Shell oil workers, that included three Americans, that its government would work with the Nigerian government to free the hostages, just as it ruled out any form of negotiation with the hostage takers.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) had last Saturday abducted nine foreigners working with the Dutch oil giant, Shell, after aerial military bombing of a community in Delta State.

Many people were killed during the air raids that were reportedly recommended by the Nigerian intelligence chiefs as a way of checkmating the militants.

Sources said The Presidency was reportedly shocked to learn that the militants had abducted the oil workers after the government successfully negotiated the release of five oil workers held hostage by members of MEND last January.

According to the sources, President Olusegun Obasanjo did not hide his feeling on the matter when he held a closed-door meeting with the nation’s security chiefs last Monday in Abuja.

The meeting was reportedly attended by the Director-Generals of the State Security Service (SSS); National Intelligence Agency (NIA); the Director of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA); and the intelligence chiefs of the Army, Navy and Air Force.

The atmosphere of the meeting was said to have been devoid of the usual conviviality of Obasanjo’s parleys with intelligence chiefs on the security situation in the Niger Delta.

A source in the intelligence community told our correspondent that the authorities had thought that the military option could facilitate the restoration of sanity to the area.

“Obviously, the intelligence estimate of the situation in the Niger Delta left much to be desired. The aerial bombing was part of the show of force so that the militias and their collaborators will know the might of the Federal Government,” the official said.

It was gathered that the intelligence chiefs had also assured the President in their intelligence estimates that the public protests triggered by the controversial cartoon on Prophet Mohammed would not spread to Nigeria. “But they were wrong again, going by the number of cities that have been affected by the riots,” he added.

“So, the President did not mince words in his disapproval of the result of the Intelligence estimates. As a matter of fact, he pointedly said he was going to call on the United States for help if they could not deal with the situation.”

The governor of Bauchi State, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, was said to have blamed security lapses for the religious riots that broke out in his domain during the week.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Haz Iwendi, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), exonerated the police hierarchy of any blame in the crisis.

According to him, “I want to comment on the issue you raised as it affects the police. We gave adequate and accurate information report from time to time as regards the various issues. We gave per second information as far as we are concerned.

“You should know that part of the Inspector General of Police’s 10-point-programme include: an effective intelligence-led policing, and we strive to get perfection in that direction.

“As we get this intelligence information, we give them out. There might be human errors, but we ensure that those information are very accurate through constant double checking of whatever information we receive and give out.”

As regards officers of the US intelligence currently assisting the Nigerian government, the police spokesman said he would not comment on it because, “I am not aware of that.”

Efforts to speak with the Director-General, State Security Service (SSS), Col. Kayode Are (rtd), on phone was unsuccessful as the line did not go through.

Sunday Punch learnt that the Director-General was out of Abuja throughout the weekend.

It was gathered that some of the problems had been traced to the door steps of some of the aides who reportedly tampered with some of reports before briefing the President.

Sunday Punch gathered that the US intelligence officers are actually in Nigeria and currently assisting the government.

The Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, however, would not comment on the matter when he was contacted on phone.

“I do not want to comment on such matters. I do not know how you got your report. I also would not know whether you have copies of some of the intelligence reports you are talking about. Just count me out of it; I have no comment to make,” he stated.

SUNDAY PUNCH, February 26, 2006

those american spies had better go back to afghanistan where they failed shamefully to get ossama bin laden.their presence on naija soil may mean doom for this country. anywhere those yankees go they spread wahala,check iraq,vietnam,afghanistan,etc. venezuela got rid of them and are doing fine. let us not introduce the infamous american solution to domestic problems. it has never worked. check history

Those American anti-terror consultants just flown into Nigeria are unlikely to have been contracted by the Nigerian government.  They will either be negotiators or special forces working for the US government to protect American citizens wherever they face peril around the globe. 

Exactly. It is not uncomon for special forces of a country to operate in a foreign country if their citizens are being held unlawfully in that foreign country. These MEND boys have no idea of the path they are treading.

The thing here about the restiveness in Niger Delta, is surely a true depiction of the saying that "you can not suppress the truth for so long a time". When Ken Sarowiwa(Blessed memory), raised the alarm,alot of people taught he was saying nonsence and the thing about his then was that ,he adopted the famous India Gandhi pattern and style of non-voilent struggle-still he was killed.The govenment has now been introduced to the modern day terrorism,and still they are still remaining recacitrant about it.

The government has to come to terms with the facts that they can not afford to cheat the people forever and until something is done,we are going to continue to see a gear-up in the style of terrorism,today is it is kidnapping,tomorrow might be bombing.

Though,I do not personally pray for this to happen,because either way there's going to be a spill of blood(either on the side of the people of the Niger delta,or the Military or even the foreign companies),which i do not support, as it is at variance with my faith;one thing I will always say is that,it  has come to a point where the government has to sit down with these people and give them what is due them.

It has happened severally in our history around the world,in south africa,russia etc.Is it that Nigeria our motherland is heading for a split-considering the disturbances in north,east and probably the west, where are we actually heading?

who are those heading for doom? we in the niger delta are heading for a better deal.

Guys - we shouldn't insult one another to make our points, we are all Nigerians. Honestly, we cannot turn blind eyes to what is happening in the Niger-Delta. I am an Urhobo from Warri and it pains me everytime I go there.

To make progress, the government and the oil companies should make honest committments to the Niger-Delta and reduce the present tension that is trying to overwhelm us. Innocent people dying is not a good thing and it is not something we should joke about. People take arms to fight is because they are fed up and tired about the way things are going and want to draw attention - I don't support the kidnapping and killings by MEND but one thing is for sure - they have got Nigeria on bbc, cnn and other international headlines more often in the past 2 months.

The government and the rebels should dialog, where diplomacy fails, military actions can be sought, however - using military force should be the last option because it doesn't work all the time, look at Iraq.

@axeprince

is govs alams, odili or ibori responsible for the absence of NEPA in the entire bayelsa state or the current disrepair of the federal east - west road which has the highest traffic in the entire Nigerian federation?

Was crude oil discovered in Nigeria before or after independence?

Leaders of the recognized Ijaw Youth stay either in Yenagoa or Warri; not even in Port Harcourt so that collins is a pretender.

The die has being casted.The US has refused to help nigeria READ THIS WHAT HAPPENS NEXT


Ijaw militants on Tuesday continued their onslaught on oil facilities in the Niger Delta by attacking the Chanomi Creek manifold and a tanker ship in Delta State.

The attacks, which came barely three days after the militants damaged the Odidi tie-in manifold, coincided with feelers that the Federal Government might approve military action to deal with the worsening security situation in the Niger Delta.

Our correspondents reported that the Chanomi manifold in Warri South-West Local Government Area serves as the point where all the flow lines from the Shell Petroleum Development Company’s fields tie-in for conveyance of crude oil to Forcados Loading Terminal.

It was learnt that the militants, who operated unhindered, blew up the manifold with dynamite.

A reliable JTF source, who confirmed the incident, said that fire was still raging as at 9pm.

Contacted, the SPDC’s Corporate External Relations Manager, Mr. Don Boham, said, “There is no official confirmation of the incident.”

Shortly after the Chanomi incident, another set of militants stormed a tanker ship and made away with a large sum of money.

The militants, in an e-mail message, said, “The tanker ship was intercepted by a patrol. No one was hurt or kidnapped.”

They claimed that the captain of the tanker ship parted with N500,000 as a “goodwill token” during the encounter.

But a shipping industry source put the sum at N2million.

In Abuja, our correspondents learnt that the Federal Government was “considering taking decisive and drastic actions,” to tackle the crisis in the region.

A top government source said on Tuesday, that President Olusegun Obasanjo had put the governors of seven states on the red alert.

The governors are: Chief Jonathan Goodluck (Bayelsa); Dr. Peter Odili (Rivers); Chief James Ibori (Delta); Obong Victor Attah (Akwa Ibom); Chief Lucky Igbinedion (Edo); and Mr. Donald Duke (Cross River).

Our source said that Obasanjo’s signal to the governors was necessitated by a report from the State Security Service on the situation in the region.

But the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Niger Delta warned against the use of force in restoring peace in the region.

Rather, they proposed a stakeholders meeting that could also restore confidence in the militants.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Niger Delta, Senator Patrick Osakwe, and his counterpart in the House of Representatives, Mr. Olaka Nwogu, made this position known at a news conference in Abuja.

They said, “We think that the solution to the Niger Delta problems can certainly not be militarising the area.

“There is the need to provide security but certainly not the military option. It is against this background that we urge the Federal Government to exercise restraint and push dialogue as the way out.

“For those who have resorted to kidnapping oil workers, we do not see it as the right part at all.”

Also on Tuesday, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Richard Gozney, promised to be present during negotiations with the militants for the release of the nine foreign oil workers kidnapped on February 18.

The promise is however with a proviso: An invitation must come from a legitimate authority and not from the militants.

“Naturally, if I receive a request from legitimate Nigerian authorities, I stand ready to do whatever they want me to do to help to secure the safe release of these hostages and to try to prevent further kidnappings in the Niger-Delta,” Gozney told our correspondent in Lagos on Tuesday.

A Briton is one of the nine hostages.

The militants had demanded an assurance that the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. John Campbell, and Gozney, should be present during negotiations.

They also requested for a written undertaking from the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Alexander Ogomudia, that the Ijaw communities would no longer be attacked by the military.

Governor Ibori, at a news conference in Warri, said the committee set up to secure the release of the hostages, was making progress.

Adding that the expatriates would regain their freedom “in the shortest possible time,” he said that the conditions demanded by the militants, particularly that of assurance of cessation of hostilities had been met.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has turned to China for military hardware to protect oil facilities in the troubled Niger Delta.

The recourse to China for arms, according to Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, follows the failure of the United States to help Nigeria in protecting the oil sector.

Abubakar, in an interview with the Financial Times, published on Monday, said the US had been too slow in assisting in protecting the Niger Delta from the spate of attacks by militants.

Nigeria, the eighth-largest oil exporter, is the fifth largest oil supplier to the US.

According to estimates from military analysts, Nigeria needs 200 boats to guard the Niger Delta from attacks on oil facilities and abduction of foreign oil workers.

Although Washington has offered technical assistance and training and provided four old coastal patrol boats, it is reluctant to meet the Federal Government’s demand, citing allegations of a high level of corruption in the Nigerian security forces and human rights abuses.

But Abubakar said talks with the US over security plans for the region did not “appear to be moving as fast as the situation is unfolding” and Nigeria was instead sourcing military equipment elsewhere.

The Financial Times quoted a senior Nigerian naval official as saying that Nigeria had “felt let down” by the reluctance of the US military to offer more support and that the Chinese boats were “a very welcome development.”

Nigeria has also ordered 35 smaller high-speed patrol boats from a US company but fewer than half have been received, said a security analyst.

The Director of the Africa programme at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, Mr. Stephen Morrison, said the Pentagon had been “hot and cold” about providing military assistance to Nigeria because of difficulties in working with the Nigerian military.

The PUNCH, Wednesday, March 01, 2006

@Otokx,
mai brother, Wiwa was the gentle type, in his time, he tried to make these heartless people see the problems we are facing in the Delta, yet they killed him. I just want them to label all our martyrs as corrupt - like calling a dog a bad name so as to kill it. He indeed faced these problem with utmost dexterity and a very high sense of integrity, yet they killed him.

Do you see why we need the MEND folks to deal with them now? They don't like gentle and corruption free people to discuss with them. They only hear words like War, threats, kidnapping and Shootings. That's when they will wake up and know there's trouble brewing in the creeks.