@All,
Frank Nweke Jnr has just handed a major embarrassent to the Nigerians government in his attempt to discredit the CNN report.
Were the Fillipinos also paid to act by Jeff Koinange?
He has just confirmed to the rest of the world that we pay journalists to carry "independent news" in Nigeria, because that was his first salvo to discredit the report.(well that's true, anyway). How unfortunate!

ono:


How is it that I changed my initial position of not joining issues with you again on this forum? Well this is the last from me to you. The very last, Mariory, cause we're always never coming to an accord on anything.

Thats true. Oh look we agreed on something!!! Remember, you were the one that started the ethnic profiling and generalization.

batu:

@All,
Frank Nweke Jnr has just handed a major embarrassent to the Nigerians government in his attempt to discredit the CNN report.
Were the Fillipinos also paid to act by Jeff Koinange?
He has just confirmed to the rest of the world that we pay journalists to carry "independent news" in Nigeria, because that was his first salvo to discredit the report.(well that's true, anyway). How unfortunate!

And what's your point?

It is a known fact that media organisations can either pay for a story or be paid for a story.

I also buy the minister's story because in the footage Jeff talked about contacting the MEND leader through the email (not that he was contacted) so how and where did he get the email address from?

How would Jeff and a camera man hire a speed boat and head to a location that is not even known to the military without somone aiding and directing him?

How come Jeff claimed the leader of MEND sent another email before he got back that the group he met is a different group and that his group is not responsible for the kidnapping.

So, how did the MEND leader know that Jeff had already met a group even before airing the story?

We should be able to do critical analysis of everything we choose to debate and not rely on the easy or convenient route of blaming the government and assuming that everything said against the government must be true no matter how incorrect.

i hate to hear it when people say the problen of nigeria or niger delta cannot be addressed overnight. it is an incomplete statement so such school of thaught should be able to tell us how long it will take or say if all hopes have been lost.
in a place where we have 20 outstanding problems, no effort is been made to settle one rather we seat back and say we cannot settle the problems overnight.
nigeria has problem of light, water supply, bad roads and very bad security system with inflation at every aspect of our life and the standard of living going down the drain on daily bases and we are saying eight years in power is too small to sort one of these problems.
well, the case of the niger delta can be sorted out within a day if the leaders have the good will of the people in mind.
how come, the engine house of our country, has no light, water, good roads and no scholarship and poverty is at it maximum and who expects anything less than violence.
the big idiot is more interested in uttah farm and transcrop more than the country.
the cnn, reported and showed the negative parts of america when cathrina hitted the black neighbourhood so let them go ahead and show the world the true image of nigeria. if i was oportuned to take them arround, i would have took them to east via the lagos - express way.

MEND On The CNN Report

Regarding the cnn report on the niger delta which we have long dissociated ourselves from and the reaction of the nigeria government to the airing of that report; The nigerian governments demand for an apology from cnn is at the best, pathetic.

The cnn report was a grossly inadequate expression of the situation in the niger delta. Had Cnn being more thorough in this assignment, the cnn potrayal of the situation in the delta would have been more troubling.

There are thousands of weapons in the delta and of these, close to five hundred have been captured from nigerian military and police personal. The nigerian government has been entirely dishonest as to the fate of most of its military and police personnel killed in the delta. Figures stated are dramtically understated.

More worrying about the nigerian governments position on the cnn report is its concern for its image abroad rather than the disturbing situation at home. To a more responsible government, the cnn report would be sufficient galvanization for positive action in the delta.The sight of such high calibre weapons in the hands of civillians who operate with impunity in the delta should have served as a wake up call.

We denied that those filmed were mend fighters but confirm the
participants of that report to be real. In case the nigerian government is not aware, those were real gun, boats and the participants, definately not manikins.

If any apology should be given, it should go to mend for the deliberate error made by cnn in a bid to sensationalize its story. The nigerian minister for information in exposing his ignorance, claimed unnwilling to divulge information on efforts being made by the government to resolve the niger delta unrest. If these plans were more than hoped plans to crush the unrest militarily, the interview with cnn, properly managed, provided the nigerian government the opportunity to reach of to those fighting in the delta. Like his masters in abuja , he simply does not know what to do. Such is the nature of governance in third world africa.

We also wish to deny again our involvement in the kidnap of the Filipino seamen. Their release was effected today by mend pretenders also known as Fndic. As we stated earlier, this kidnap was orchestrated by this group which has decided to release the hostages after a small payment was made.

Regarding the two italian and one lebanese hostage in our custody, we confirm that talks aimed at securing their release have long broken down.

Statements by the bayelsa government that there exists some form of dialogue at this point, are dubious. We ceased speaking with the bayelsa government team on February 5, 2007. It is without a doubt that the new goverment will have to try new methods to secure the release of these hostages.

The nigerian government should not be misled into believing any new military acquisitions will give it victory. We will fight a war that has never been fought in africa and disintergrate nigeria if we have to do so to get justice. All countries with any kind of workers in the niger delta are advised to start making plans for a speedy evacuation of their nationals as we may be unable to distinguish between oil workers and others at that point.

Our demand for justice in the delta has gone beyond the building of clinics and roads. We demand what is rightfully ours and now. We will persevere until we get justice, by any means neccessary.

N.B:
There are two factions of MEND.

Afam:

Please, what are the realities in the Niger Delta? Save us from ignorance and educate us abeg.

For your information, I have lived and worked in PH, Eket, Bonny Island and Warri. It is sickening to hear people blame the FG for problems in the Niger Delta and at the same time support their leaders that shortchange them and squander the money meant for development.

The FG will certainly not open bank accounts for all the Niger Deltans neither will it provide jobs for the people of the Niger Detla. The blame game is becoming embarassing.

Where did the kidnappers get the money for the arms and ammunitions they are using?

Wrath of the people? Thank God a lot of the Niger Deltans are begining to ask the right questions now are evaluating the situation they way they should as against believing everything their leaders and politicians tell them even when they strike deals with companies and government agencies to enrich themselves at the expense of the vast majority.

NB

Oil will not be there forever, oil is a wasting asset, better look for ways to develop the human resources you have as depending on oil way too much will ultimately boomerang in the long run.

Afam,
I have found both the leadership of the militants and the ruling government guilty of misappropriation and corruption and I have said it point blank.

I have visited all parts of Nigeria and when Asari Dokubo and Ateke Tom were even on rampage in the Niger Delta in 2004, that was when I left Lagos and went straight in search of Asari and I located him and things were returning to peaceful resolution before OBJ and his zombies arrested Asari Dokubo last year.

Let me tell you the truth.
The arrest and trial of Asari Dokubo and the making of Alams as the scapegoat of the corrupt governors in the Niger Delta and the campaign against Atiku are all connected.
Odili is even more corrupt than Alams and OBJ and his EFCC have not arrested him.
Read the MEND Press Release I posted last night.

Before the cookie crumbled, I warned that the PDP would jeopardize the peace and unity in Nigeria and I even warned all the multinational oil companies face to face.
I have been directly involved in the political development of Nigeria since 1990 and had a top post in the political campaign of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur. But when I saw the hand writing on the wall, I came to work and removed my passport photograph from the ID Card and left. Days later IBB cancelled the Primaries.

One of the prominent Lagos politicians murdered in his home in Dolphin Estate in Lagos was an Old Boy I knew and a police post and check point were just a stone throw from his house. So, I hold the PDP responsible for his murder and the murder of Bola Ige and others.

Everything MEND is demanding in the Press Release is justified and I am 100% in support of the cause of MEND. But I won't support kidnapping and attacking innocent expatriates and others.
Again, I won't join them to join the cult they have sworn an oath to for protection and immunity.

From Opobo to Buguma, I am related by blood to members of MEND.
My family is related to the Jaja of Opobo family and my in-laws are from one of the most prominent families in Buguma. And I am also related by blood to others in Agbor and Asaba.
And I will do whatever I can to defend their rights.

Prior to the Nigerian crisis, I was enjoying the patronage of the government and editing a magazine that the Ministry of Education subscribed to monthly and the Ministry of Information and National Orientation and banks supported us.
We had our office in the Western House on The Broad Street in Lagos.
And I was with the leaders and having good time at the Lagos Motor Boat Club with one of the most beautiful and powerful women in Nigeria that even the late Sani Abacha said was his madam. Because her husband was formerly Abacha's Camp Commandant.
So, I was sharing tables with even the younger brother of the Ado Bayero of Kano at a relative young age. I was one of the youngest editors in Nigeria and chauffeur-driven in a Toyota Land Cruiser jeep. You will read all the details in my diaries Naked Passions coming out soon by the grace of God. My buddy and publisher who was only 34 at that time got appointed as a member of the National Constituent Assembly and I was in Abuja with a steward at my service. But the debacle of June 12 broke the tabernacle and it was to your tents O Israel and erstwhile good buddies became enemies.

Two dates have changed my life.
My mother died in ghastly road accident on May 26, 1993.
And the annulment of results of June 12 Presidential Election by IBB and his cult.
My late mother and I supported the SDP. And the annulment worsened my grief over her terrible death. She died on her way to work in Apapa, Lagos.
The enemies of June 12 and people like Ojo Maduekwe who supported the late Sani Abacha are now leaders of the PDP and even OBJ opposed MKO Abiola. And their judgment is still coming, except they repent.

I am totally 100% behind the cause of MEND for the common good of the Niger Delta.

I'm confuced!! wa lahi ta lah i!

donnymikky:

I'm confuced!! wa lahi ta lah i!

Please, read the rest from the link.

On this issue, the Federal claim, supported clearly by the 1999 Constitution and settled international practice, is that offshore resources belong to the Federal government and not the contiguous states, while the littoral states argue again from history that no such dichotomy existed before 1969, and that in any case it was explicitly abrogated by Babaginda in 1991 or so!
Democracy and State Integration in Nigeria - Steps Towards Its Consolidation

nikynike:

Dont mind them after receiving N240,000,000.00.They are thieves

Nike, u dey there?
anyway i hear say na N10 million per head dem collect

@Orikinla,

My sincere condolences on the death of your mother.

It sure seems that you have a good reason to hold on to what you believe based on past experiences whether we agree or not.

I am with you on MEND especially when you made it clear that kidnapping of innocent people should be out of it.

My position is this, if you have a problem to sort out with anybody, do so and do not harm innocent people in the process.

MEND claims it is fighting for the rights of the Niger Deltans, it is a good thing but it must face squarely those responsible for the state of affairs in the Niger Delta and with all sense of responsibility I will say that the state governors in the Niger Delta should be held responsible before you start calling the Federal government.

On the oil companies or oil revenues, I am sure you know how the proceeds are shared and what actually goes to the venture partners. I have seen where youths in Eket demanded for settlement from an oil servicing firm that wanted to repair a road and of course the firm took the equipment they hired away and who loses?

Apportioning blame properly will go a long way in remedying the situation. Pushing relevant information to the people is key.

Afam:

My position is this, if you have a problem to sort out with anybody, do so and do not harm innocent people in the process.

MEND claims it is fighting for the rights of the Niger Deltans, it is a good thing but it must face squarely those responsible for the state of affairs in the Niger Delta and with all sense of responsibility I will say that the state governors in the Niger Delta should be held responsible before you start calling the Federal government.

Afam,
It's very easy for you to sit way up there and say that they should channel their grievances to the authorities. But like Orikinla rightly said, you need to go right inside the creeks and stand face to face with the MEND guys to tell them that their leaders in the Delta are the ones to blame for their ordeal, to deal with the situation.

The situation in the Delta requires zeal and genuine efforts on the parts of the FG at developing the area. I have posted in one of my entries before now that all those bulldozers pulling down buildings in Abuja needs to be sent down to the delta to pull down trees and jungles to pave way for meaningful development . What obtains presently in the region is unacceptable and some folks have vowed to make sure that nothing is taken away from the region so long as their breath remains with them. Many examples abound in this country how the FG have shown laxity in bringing development to the area.

1) The East-West road:

To date, all I see is some very big bill boards positioned at Eleme Junction,  Kiama, Ughelli and Warri showing that the contract has been awarded to dualise the road from Oron to Warri. Not even a pint of ashphalt has been laid at either the Warri or Oron end of the road. But I heard that the power plants at Papalanto (OBJs town) is nearing completion and would be commissioned soon. Tell me if the FG is really sincere in developing the area.

2) Olokola LNG:

The Olokola LNG was initially proposed to be sited in Warri. But OBJ in his infinite foolishness decided to site it in a border town between his home state (Ogun) and Ondo state. The natural gas that will feed this plant will be piped all the way from oil/gas fields in Delta and Bayelsa states. Initial feasibility studies carried out showed that it will be uneconomical siting such a plant in Olokola, but OBJ insisted that it should be sited there. Now if OBJ has the interests of the Delta people at heart, will this plant not be sited in Warri area to provide jobs for the teeming population of Niger Delta youths who are unemployed and roaming about the streets?

(3) Independent Power projects:
Some will say Odili should be partly blamed for the power problems in the Delta. I'll tell them that the problem is beyond Odili. It's a calculated effort on the part of the powers that be that the Niger Delta man and his surroundings should not witness any meaningful development, never mind that the oil used in feeding other constituents of the country is from the Delta.

Orikinla, good posts.

ono:

Afam,
It's very easy for you to sit way up there and say that they should channel their grievances to the authorities. But like Orikinla rightly said, you need to go right inside the creeks and stand face to face with the MEND guys to tell them that their leaders in the Delta are the ones to blame for their ordeal, to deal with the situation.

No sir, I do not need to go to the creeks to tell them that. Feel free to send my comments to the trash can, I am only expressing my opinions.

I am from the South East and I dare say that the South East is more neglected when compared to the South South in terms of federal presence, scholarships and placement in various oil companies etc.

However, the issue is not about the South East or about OBJ's actions which does not make sense to me, it is about MEND and the tactics they use.

Kidnapping people and demanding for ransomes is criminal. They should hold their leaders and governors responsible first because calling the FG just as the average Igbo man is not sitting down and waiting for the FG to come and develop the South East.

If you must fight, fight those responsible for your problems, no innocent person has to die for any reasons whatsoever, that is my take on this issue.

Enjoy.

I am beginning to wonder where we are heading to if our informations out fit are becoming questionable. Who is fooling who and who is Mr right!

I want to say that immediately a system is misinformed that system is certainly bound for doom, now let some body tell me where we are heading to?

Our country believes so much in its independent but still we are depending on other country's inventions and innovations to ensure it sustainable devleopment.

Every thing being equal, let our country and the CNN dialogue properly to sort out this mis- infomation to avoid ??.

Now the duty of the Niger Delta Development Commission in Nigeria was to help solve those problem and hardship within the Niger Delta Region. Let us still believe in our country's policies and constitution for the purpose of peace and harmony.

Let us try to maintain a good Diplomatic relationship for the purpose of international and U.N interactions and support.

Lagos State must be enjoying seriously according to ono that LG funds were seized for 2 years and can you ask yourself any project that was completed in Lagos state by Obj in the last 8 years?

If God permits me I feel like doing what Jerry Rawlings did in Ghana and all indicted corrupt public officials were shot.
Finis.

y'all stop ranting - when someone is doing his/her job - that is when you go round issues to discredit him/her. The CNN report was bad, and I agree with the Minister's reaction.

I wonder what you guys will do if you ever get the chance to get to government.

What is the major problem in the Niger Delta? What is lacking in the region that is not lacking in every other part of Nigeria? The resources belong to the government and albeit - to all Nigerians, not to the people of the region - yes - not to them alone. Thus, what is it that is missing in the region that is not missing elsewhere? I guess we should all carry arms and fight ourselves because we all want to share in the resources of the country. I have seen developmental projects in the Niger Delta - yes, this is true - Ken Saro Wiwa fought for the way the region was poluted environmentally, now his efforts are being politicised by so called Militants. All of us can lay claim to the resources of the Niger Delta because it belongs to all of us.

Cnn and Jeff Konange were correct.
The Nigerian Minister lied!
I am here in Nigeria and work in the Niger Delta
I know the truth
Where was Nweke when the militants released thehostages?
Nweke elevated lying to the level of Nigeria's culture
outright lying is not diplomacy

@Boladonas.

What lie did he tell? Please let us know.

alabiyemmy:

What is the major problem in the Niger Delta? What is lacking in the region that is not lacking in every other part of Nigeria? The resources belong to the government and albeit - to all Nigerians, not to the people of the region - yes - not to them alone. Thus, what is it that is missing in the region that is not missing elsewhere? I guess we should all carry arms and fight ourselves because we all want to share in the resources of the country. I have seen developmental projects in the Niger Delta - yes, this is true - Ken Saro Wiwa fought for the way the region was poluted environmentally, now his efforts are being politicised by so called Militants. All of us can lay claim to the resources of the Niger Delta because it belongs to all of us.

Who owns the gold deposits at Ilesha in Osun state? To what extent have the owners of the gold deposits use the resources of the area to develop the Niger Delta since gold was found in the area?

Who owns the coal deposits at Enugu ? How much of coal money went into the development of the Niger Delta towns of Portharcourt, Warri and Eket at the time coal was a substantial foreign exchange earner for the country?Why is it so that we cannot point out anything to show that, for example, this 'X' at Warri, Portharcourt or Uyo is the structure that was built in the Niger Delta with the proceeds from the sale of coal or gold?

The tin deposits in Jos truly is owned by the FG, rite? But the proceeds from tin mining you will definitely see in Jos and it's surroundings. Government deemed it fit to plough back the proceeds from tin sale into Jos and Plateau state in general. How much of the proceeds from the sale of tin did the FG use in developing the Niger Delta area all through the time tin was another major source of foreign exchange earner for the country?

While i empathize with the people of the Niger-delta and believe they deserve better than the deplorable conditions they currently live in, I totally despise the criminal activities of MEND. There are other ways to fight for your right. Terrorism is sure not one that yeilds lasting dividends.

If the cause is "better standards of living" (simply put) then it is achievable. RESOURCE CONTROL or CESSATION from Nigeria is chasing the wind and absolutely impossible. The issue here is survival of the fittest. Nigeria will never let that happen. The only proceeds from this "ill-conceived MEND aggression" will be years of anarchy in the region while the hoodlums in the name of MEND fighters enrich themselves through ransoms (which in my opinion puts them in the same category as the corrupt Nigerian politicians) and the poor Niger-deltans they are supposedly fighting for, wallow in poverty and die in the cross-fire between them and the Nigerian military.

I dare say this will drag-on till the last drop of oil is taken from the region. Nigeria will rather endure this "MEND insurgency" than risk the impact of loosing the benefits from the oil. Its the lesser of two evils and at the moment, it makes sense to stay with the present arrangement. The people benefitting from the oil are living in peace in their respective states.

who ever supports MEND should have a rethink - who ever said terrorism is a right way to press for your rights?

drlawng:

While i empathize with the people of the Niger-delta and believe they deserve better than the deplorable conditions they currently live in, I totally despise the criminal activities of MEND. There are other ways to fight for your right. Terrorism is sure not one that yeilds lasting dividends.

If the cause is "better standards of living" (simply put) then it is achievable. RESOURCE CONTROL or CESSATION from Nigeria is chasing the wind and absolutely impossible. The issue here is survival of the fittest. Nigeria will never let that happen. The only proceeds from this "ill-conceived MEND aggression" will be years of anarchy in the region while the hoodlums in the name of MEND fighters enrich themselves through ransoms (which in my opinion puts them in the same category as the corrupt Nigerian politicians) and the poor Niger-deltans they are supposedly fighting for, wallow in poverty and die in the cross-fire between them and the Nigerian military.

I dare say this will drag-on till the last drop of oil is taken from the region. Nigeria will rather endure this "MEND insurgency" than risk the impact of loosing the benefits from the oil. Its the lesser of two evils and at the moment, it makes sense to stay with the present arrangement. The people benefitting from the oil are living in peace in their respective states.

You sound like Nigeria cannot and will not survive without the oil in the Niger Delta. Hmn, that's revealing, you know. No wonder the World Bank said, and I quote

''About 80 per cent of Nigeria's oil and natural gas revenues accrue to just one per cent of the nation's population. The other 99 per cent of the population receive the remaining 20 per cent of the oil and gas revenues, leaving Nigeria with the second lowest per capita oil export earnings at $212 per person in 2004."

Because the oil wealth was fraudulently acquired in the first place, the oil proceeds is in the hands of fraudsters.

CNN, Niger Delta and Nigeria

SIR: I just read your editorial on the Cable News Network (CNN) coverage of the Niger Delta and the subsequent response by the Federal Government (The Guardian, February 27, 2007). I spend a lot of time in Toronto, Canada and I believe I need to give you a different perspective to this story that you may not understand from far away in Nigeria.

I saw the story the first day it was aired on Anderson Cooper 360, a programme primarily aired on CNN America that has a programme content that the rest of the world does not get to see. If they do, at very wee hours of the night.

The reporter, Jeff Koinange in that first report did not say if he contacted anyone in the Nigerian government. He only did the next day after people like me wrote to CNN to complain about the lopsideness of the story. This to me was an after thought. I remember that after Koinange's report, Anderson Cooper spoke with a reporter from Vanity Fair (a U.S. Magazine) who just returned from the Niger Delta. I was patiently waiting to hear from someone in the Nigerian government. No response came and nobody said any effort was made to contact them. This to my knowledge is very bad journalism and I am surpprised that you would attempt to defend Jeff Konainge.

He said in his defence that he tried thrice to speak with President Olusegun Obasanjo. What insult. I wonder how many foreign journalists asked to speak with President Bush about the Hurricane Katrina debacle. The Warri area from which Mr. Konainge rented a boat has a local council and a state government. Did he attempt to speak with anyone at these levels of government? No. This becomes an apparent slight on the entire nation and the people of the Niger Delta especially in the light of the fact that long before the CNN report, local media already said the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) of Delta state was already in negotiation for the release of the Filipino hostages. Does the American CNN audience know this? Of course not, nor were they told that the SSG eventually succeeded in getting freedom for the captured seamen.

For your information CNN is taking credit for the release of the hostages, claiming that it is their story that effected the release. This is a slap on the face of all that toiled for the freedom of the hostages, Nigerians and Filipinos alike.

Furthermore, the CNN reporter said he rented a boat and headed for the waterways without knowing where he was going and met the militants by accident. What a laugh. I believe you should be questioning the veracity of that claim. Where did he say he was going when he rented the boat? Untill we get an answer to that there is indeed more than meets the eye in this disrespectful story.

I am first to admit that more need to be done in and for the Niger Delta, but we must realise that no foreign media will do a fair report on Nigeria. They will always package and play stories to suit the predisposed mindset of their primary audience. Keep that in mind and give your government the benefit of doubt. CNN and Jeff Koinange are no saints in this issue.

Etinosa Onaiwu,
Toronto, Canada

The author of the above piece makes sense. I wonder why Jeff did not seek audience with a councillor, council chairman or governor. Asking to speak to the C-in-C is a slight on our national pride.

As rightly pointed out, Bush would not accept it if AIT went to the USA to interview him on the outcome of Katrina.

Excellent letter. I have stated it before that it is very easy for any reasonable person to see through the lies and inconsistencies in Jeff's report.

First he contacted the MEND letter through email, got a boat and headed into the creeks and guns here, guns there, after all said and done he went back only to find another email from the MEND leader that it was not his group that kidnapped the Filipinos, what utter rubbish.

He should join hollywood and make movies instead of lying and deceiving people with his money making business.

Jeff i an actor Infact he acted in movie titled "TRUE LIES"