http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5626101-146/mend_apologises_for_causing_abuja_deaths.csp

By Ayo Okulaja

October 2, 2010 09:42PM

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has apologised for causing the death of many people in the explosions which rocked the Federal capital yesterday.

In an email sent to journalists a moment ago, Jomo Gbomo, the spokesperson of the group, said the group "deeply regrets the avoidable loss of lives during our bomb attack in Abuja on Friday October 1, 2010. Our hearts go to the families of those killed who we know were sympathetic to our cause".

The group said the failure of security forces to heed a warning it had given five days before the attack is responsible for the deaths

"The irresponsible attitude of the government security forces is to blame for the loss of lives. They were given 5 days prior notice which led to the harassment of Henry Okah on Thursday, September 30 in South Africa."

It also claimed that an hour before the attack, security forces were reminded of the impending violence but failed to act. It said the email received by journalists a few minutes before the explosions was sent only after the one to security agents.

"The security forces were also warned one full hour to the first bomb blast ahead of the general alert sent to the media and told to steer the public from all parked cars which was not done."

The group's claim of responsibility for the attacks is coming hours after President Goodluck Jonathan said they were not responsible and blamed the explosions on terrorists.

Mr. Jonathan told an ECOWAS gathering in Abuja today that ``What happened yesterday was a terrorist act and MEND was just used as a straw; MEND is not a terrorist group".

"The Niger Delta people are aware of the government's noble efforts to assuage the suffering and deprivation in that region," the President said.

"I am from the Niger Delta, my father's house is few metres from an oil-well, so nobody can claim to be a Niger Deltan than myself.

"It is erroneous to think that my people who have been agitating for good living will deliberately blow up the opportunity they have now".

In a related development, Henry Okah, an alleged leader of the militant group, was arrested by South African police today and is being questioned.

On Thursday, Interpol forces raided Mr Okah's home in South Africa but no action was taken against him. It is not clear yet if he will be charged following his latest arrest.

However, the group has exonerated him of involvement in Friday's bombings that killed at least 12 people and injured tens of others. "Okah has never been involved in any MEND operations but has always been blamed for every attack which is strange to us," the group said.

Is this the kind of president Nigeria need at this time? Absolving MEND of a crime MEND says it carried out. Mr Goodluck is a weakling in my opinion and not fit to be a C in C.

interesting turn of events

now who is to be blamed?

Goodluck needs to learn how to keep his mouth shut. Mend admit that is their fault and you have Jonathan defending them? WTF?

Why cant someone publish these emails for us to read by ourselves?

Big question! Where is MEND? Who is MEND? Anybody can send an email claiming to be MEND. Why can't someone tell us the IP address these emails are emanating from. If care us not taken me self I go soon send email to all these rubbish media houses claiming to be MEND. An email message is not Enough to conclude that MEND has spoken.It has to be verified b4 concluding it's MEND. Anytime OSama releases a tape,experts would be called in to be sure it has come from OSama before they go to press with it.

PapaBrowne:

Big question! Where is MEND? Who is MEND? Anybody can send an email claiming to be MEND. Why can't someone tell us the IP address these emails are emanating from. If care us not taken me self I go soon send email to all these rubbish media houses claiming to be MEND. An email message is not Enough to conclude that MEND has spoken.It has to be verified b4 concluding it's MEND. Anytime OSama releases a tape,experts would be called in to be sure it has come from OSama before they go to press with it.

denial is a bitch

all of a sudden, it is not mend sending mails

when mend were sending out warnings that they would bomb shell installations, none of you lot doubted the authentcity , did you?

in spite of all i have said about gej, i am stil disappointed. the man has fked up big time

no hidden reserves of leadership /bottle anywhere

Can't nigerians see that Joe is president of niger delta. Acting myopic in partisan politics.

5 days notice- thats too much jo - if it is America- if they have notice on 10 minutes, they will stop the bomb. Yes, the security forces will just go to the cars and yank the bombs off the cars- silly Naija police- not very brave.

Goodluck does not want to anger his base.

Mazi.

Noooo - they paid him $500million dollars to keep quiet. Check his trouser pocket, thats where the money is.

People

Why are you hell bent on blaming everything on Jonathan? He has more information than you do - just because someone sends an un seen email to pressmen using the name of MEND, you - in your own daftness believes the email, much more than your head of state who has access to more information than you do? Come on - think, use your head and dont think like okija juju associates who believes anything they read in the papers.

@labiyemmy:


Why are you hell bent on blaming everything on Jonathan? He has more information than you do - just because someone sends an un seen email to pressmen using the name of MEND, you - in your own daftness believes the email, much more than your head of state who has access to more information than you do? Come on - think, use your head and dont think like okija juju associates who believes anything they read in the papers.

Good ,valid points you raised there

methinks,something is fishy .It could well have been GEJ's political opponents trying to use the 'MEND'name to rubbish him, maradona perhaps?

@ mrpresident
You just got it right! Pls tell them.haters!

Mend apologises for bomb blast then turns around to deny their involvement.abeg spare me. Perhaps you've never lost a loved to this sort of thing. Mend did it.the threat had been issued five days earlier for them to have denounced it. Let's stop thinking like our partisan old generation