₦airaland Forum

Kobojunkie:
But we already negotiated with MEND. . . we gave them free monthly allowances, free education etc. Is this what you mean when you say we ought to be involved in this?

My sister you are quite funny. From the unset, MEND have clearly stated what they want and it is not amnesty or allowance. It amazes me when I still see people asking "what do they want again?". Its because many of us have not been paying enough attention. For the records, their main agitation is for devolution of power, self determination and resources control. That is the reason why Wole Soyinka supports them in principle because what they want is exactly what the progressives have been asking for.

Its funny because what MEND want is exactly what the western region have been asking for. Its also what the eastern region need to sustanable growth.

davidylan:
interesting. GEJ seems to be begging these guys not to derail his presidential ambition.

I think he is calming them to allow him sort things out when he becomes the president.

oyb:
you can see where negotiating with terrorist has taken us . another six kids have been kidnapped in aba

You are deliberately mixing issues.
If we had negotiated with Asari militant group then, there would be no MEND today.
But instead we chose your option but alas, we are all suffering the repercussion today.
Even Britain had to negotiate with the IRA.

soldee:
What business does the Number 1 Citizen have calling Niger Deltans 'MY PEOPLE'??!! Does he even realise that  as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria he is 1st a Nigerian before being a Tribal Warlord?!!

What kind of President under pressure abandons 'FELLOW NIGERIANS' for 'MY PEOPLE'! - I AM FROM NIGER DELTA!! Have we even ever had a President or Head of State spinnig his local affiliations in the face of a national fiasco?

He evn proclaimed on National TV that MEND IS NOT A TERRORIST GROUP after they bombed your dignity to shreds, GEJ!!

This fisherman tactics wont do at all. Not at all. Very embarazing, haba!

If you know the threat this MEND poses, you won't be saying this.
MEND have nigeria in the balls. If calling them "MY PEOPLE" is what it takes to keep us in peace and in one piece, I see nothing wrong with that.

~Bluetooth:
brilliant post !

sbeezy8:
MEND are criminals to most Nigerians outside the ND and thats what matters-

[size=13pt]Point blank Gej cannot be president and thinking because hes from the Niger delta a militant group wont try anything . Even if it wasnt the purpose of MEND to kill or bomb abuja Im sure their are factions of MEND  or MILITANT affiliates of MEND who were paid by Jonathans opponents to do it.

and that makes MEND equally guilty- Nigerians and the world Will not differentiate between what factions of MEND OR MILITANTS ar genuine and which are just crminals hiding under the MEND name- It doesnt work like that[/size]

Once you are a militant - you are branded with the same name as other militants who are paid by corrupt govt officials.- Nigerian outside the Niger delta dont care who is a good militant and who is a bad One.

Its very easy for us to sit in our rooms and separate things between black and white.
The reality on the ground is that many things are neither black or white. It is this reality GEJ faces daily. You cannot cut off the hand that feeds the whole nation. The truth is, MEND have the ability to cripple  Nigeria within a month.
Ask people around the late Yardua government what was happening before Yaradua halted all further military intervention against the militant and opted to do amnesty instead. Nigeria was going to grind to a halt within weeks if the militants didn't stop blowing up oil facilities. There was great panic in the government circle which prompted the government to start sending presidential jets to delta and river state to pick up militants for dialogue. These were the same militants the same government were calling terrorist only a few weeks before. Only those who wear the shoe knows where it hurts. I believe GEJ know the repercussion of an irrational engagement with MEND more than any of us.

MShittu:
But the thing is Goodluck didn't do that. He just went all out and said 'They didn't do it'. It would have been better if he had said 'We will discuss this matter with them and punish the individuals responsible for this atrocity'. But he gave them the green light and now they have virtually been given permission to go around bombing everywhere they feel like just because they know GEJ wont react positively.

GEJ said they were used as pawns which indicates that though they did it, the mastermind were other people.

sbeezy8:
no one wants to win MEND ON THEIR SIDE- as far as most Nigerians are concerned mend is a terroritst group. - and Nothing from Jonathan can change the minds of most Nigerians.

Few are sympathetic towards Mend, BUT many are towards Niger deltans.

after federalism is granted which majority of the country wants- I doubt the militancy will stop immediately there will still be kidnappings and such.

One man's terrorist group is another man's freedom fighter. Most people in the niger delta see them as freedom fighter and most people outside the niger delta see them as terrorist. It is quit obvious why. But know one thing, an ant will never be found innocent ( even if it is) in the gathering of chicken because if they do so, they won't have food for breakfast. GEJ is brave to come out and tell everyone MEND is not a terrorsit group. Wow, I know this will send the shivers down the spines of many people. With that statement alone, he has endered MEND to himself. What a smart move.

bk.babe97y:
I confessed that I broke into your house, stole your Warhol paintings, smacked your moms in the face, rap*ed your Grandma (violently), killed and ate the family dog in front of your little kids. . . . .

You came home and told the police (even after hearing my confessions) that I wasnt responsible for any of the atrocities. . . .

Hey, who am I to complain?!?!

Lets put it this way. You are upset with your dad and started acting rudely and being destructive.
You have already assumed the kind of hard response your dad would come up with and you are prepared for it. But instead of calling you a bad son, your dad says you are a good boy and you only just missed your way a bit. Whatever anger that may be boiling inside you would just melt away. The bible says a soft answer melt great wrath.

Ehoi:
From what I gleaned from the article, it seems GEJ is MEND were not the original instigator of the whole plan and that some element of MEND were used as pawns to do it. GEJ knows if he can win MEND to his side, the niger delta problem will finally be solved.

Completely disagree. A wise know chose the fight he gets involved with wisely.
It is a bad idea to get MEND tails up. The people in government know a lot of things you don't know.
One thing is for sure, they know trying fight MEND is like trying to grasp oil. The best option is to win MEND to your side and look into their demands.

slap1:
Excuse my ignorance, sir, but I don't get your point. How did GEJ play smart with this statement?

Though many militants took up the amnesty offer, there is no doubt that the problem of the niger delta is far from over because the main militant (MEND) refuse to join the process. And that is a big stumbling block. GEJ knows that fighting MEND will bring no good now or after he becomes president because MEND have the capability to make the life of any president miserable if they start their attacks on the oil equipments. He knows he needs to win the heart of MEND if he is going to succeed as president. And this his statement will go a long way to diffuse any anger within MEND. Besides, MEND never intented to kill anyone that is why I believe they gave a warning about the bomb. They not only gave warning, they gave specifics about where to look for the bombs i.e cars and dusbins.

Princek12:
Everything don scatter scatter. Who are we to believe?

From what I gleaned from the article, it seems GEJ is MEND were not the original instigator of the whole plan and that  some element of MEND were used as pawns to do it.  GEJ knows if he can win MEND to his side, the niger delta problem will finally be solved.

GEJ is playing this so smart. He wants to bring MEND to his side.

Those who planted the bombed didn't intend for anybody to die neither did they intend to totally disrupt the occasion. If MEND wanted innocent people to die, why did they give warning about the bomb at all? I am now convinced GEJ is a lot smarter than he looks.

Knowing nigeria, that $100 million was probably plucked from thin air.
Goodluck government should be careful in handling this situation. They should not fabricate lies against MEND in other to score cheap point.

I have read most people reaction to this event and it saddens me that very few are talking about the way forward. Most people seems to be emotional and shouting insults at MEND. That is not going to solve the problem because I have a feeling that, that is the attitude those in government have too. How can we proceed to solve this problem once and for all?

About ten years ago there was a small militant group of about 50 militants in the niger delta lead by Dokubo Asari. Few of them use to carry riffles while most carried cutlass and spear. I remember how many people were laughing at them and calling them all sort of names. Instead of people to look into addressing greivance, we instead were laughing at them. But who is laghing today? It seems as a people, our greatest weakness is the lack of solution finding mentality. Most of the time we ignore the problem and hope it will just go away. Even when we try to tackle the problem, we chose the wrong option which tend to make it worse.

After a long laughter and mocking, we tried to takle the problem and OBJ roped the Asari into a treason charge. We thought by arresting the leader everything will just go away. Just like what Abacha did to Saro wiwa, we thought that once the leader is arrested or killed everything will go away. Did it? No, instead we gave birth to MEND.

Looking back now, if we had started earnestly to address the issues Asari raised, we will not have this situation today. When Asari will agitating, many of us in Abuja, Lagos etc were laughing thinking it will not come near us. We encouraged OBJ to send soldiers to Odi. But today, the kidnapping that the militant started have been taken over by the criminals in our midst. Crimnals use to carry just ordinary gun before but now they are using AK47 from the niger delta. Criminals are even now using propelled grenade from the niger delta.

Fast forward in ten years time, this monster that we have created will still be here and meaner, yet we will still be throwing insult at them as if that will solve the problem. Is addressing devolution of power and resources control an abomination? is this not what the west and all progressive have been crying for? Why is everyone chickens suddenly?

The way I see MEND, they are for the long haul. They will not go away. The sooner we get a grip of things the better.

The cake is not level.

What is the purpose of this picture again?

snowdrops:
So the core issue should be addressed by blowing up innocent people, their only fault being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Mend introduced commercial kidnapping to Nigeria, where has that got us to?
Now its car bombs. What is in a year or two years time, criminals all around the country start blowing any and everybody off.

Then the entity called Nigeria would cease to exist and maybe next time it may well be your family who end up being blown up by one of mends bomb, and i wish you come on here and tell us to stop being emotional

snowdrops
Its not for MEND to address the core issues. Its for we nigerians and the government to do so.
Are we going to fold our hands and allow things to get worse until the centre cannot hold?
We will not advance from this situation being emotional. What do we do now to solve this problem once and for all considering the fact that the nigerian army cannot eradicate the militants from the niger delta. Another fact we have to consider is that these militants have the oil that keeps the whole nation together, in their backyard hence any irrational attempt to use maximum force on them will mean losing our ability to export oil that keeps the nation alive.

Kobojunkie:
WOW . . . . . I bit you have somehow succeed in confusing your own self after all that . . . ROFLMAO!!

If you don't understand something, ask.

I don't get why some of you think its not MEND.

Only mr gbomo has access to the email address he normally uses to send emails.

Today's event is exactly like a copy of what happened in delta state which MEND claimed.

MEND has so far claimed responsibility like they always do.

And if it was not MEND, they would have issued a statement since denying it.

Nsiman:
@ ehoi, pls i stand to be corrected, who is mend's official spoke person, and if cynthia whyte is someone else am sorry for using the name.

Nsiman
A lot of people confuse many issues about MEND. To understand who is in charge of MEND, you need to know the background of the organization and how it works.  Some groups of people who were formally under Dokubo left after he was arrested. they then decided to change the way their militants orgazation is run. They became a faceless group with no one leader. That is a why they don't have a physical spoke person. Anything they want to say is spoken through mr gbomo. Of course mr gbomo is a faceless person but he used a particular email address. So anything that comes from that email address is authentically from the real MEND.

MEND structure is very fluid. They have their core fighters but they are also affiliated with hundreds of militant group all over the niger delta. Over the years MEND have been able to spread its tentacles to every corner of the niger delta through these affiliated groups. Cynthia white is just the spoke person of one of the group MEND is affiliated to. But they are not MEND but they like to speak for MEND sometimes.

There can never be peace without justice. I can understand why many people are angry about this situation but i reckon until we go beyond the issue of emotions and start tackling the root causes and demands, we will be going from frying pan to fire. Just as some people have dug in and want Nigeria to remain and thrive, so it seems MEND have dug in. There is going to be trouble ahead for everyone if the core issues are ignored. The problem with the case of MEND is that they sit untop of the oil that keeps the country going. If they start another round of blowing up oil sites, the whole country will feel the pinch. WE NEED SOLUTIONS FOR PEACE TO REIGN.

Nsiman
But they have already done that through Mr Gbomo. Mr Gbomo has been their only outlet since the organization started. Personally I believe MEND is a lot bigger than what we think. I believe their tentacles reaches inside the army and government and I also believe the internhational community is behind them. If now, why have the government been unable to unmask who is behind that email account mr gbomo uses?

Nsiman:
@ okunoba, u reason constructively because at first mend didn't admit responsibility but at the second they did, why i reason with u is that mend shld issue a press statement by their spoke person Cynthia whyte to clear the air as any organisation must have an authorised spokeman/woman. But dn't point accusing fingers yet.

Cynthia white is not MEND spoke person. Anytime cynthia white try to speak for MEND, mr gbomo always issue a statement denying it.

I don't know why some people want to believe its not MEND behind the bombing.
They gave warning and confirmed it after the bomb. I believe they used the same email address of mr gbomo. the truth us, MEND are hard nuts who have swore to a course. I don't think these guys care if the president come from the niger delta or not neither do i think they are here for the a short ride.

Time to go to the root of the demands. true federalism and devolution of power.

We can no longer pretend and dance around thsi issue because the way i see it, things will just continue to get worse.

From the words and actions of MEND since their emergence some 6 years ago, these guys should not be underestimated. They refused money aka amnesty. The fact that one of their son's is the president has not soften their focus. They are hard nuts that will stop at nothing until they achieve their goal. I thing we have some nigerians that are truly ready to die for what they believe.

deols:
I thought these guys wanted Power shift to their side and now they got it and are still bombing places, the government better do something about it.


We used to sleep with one eye knowing we could be targets but now we wont av to sleep at all knowing we dont av to be the target to be hurt. . .i weep for my dear nation.

From my understanding, they had always wanted self determination and resources control.
There was nothing about power shift.

Beaf:
Now for the serious questions. Was this really MEND or was it, as Okah claims, rotten hands in the government?
A few things trouble the mind, such as;

[list]
[li]How were the miscreants able to smuggle bombs so close to a tightly secure area in which the President was speaking?[/li]
[li]Why was the area not evacuated even though warning was given?[/li]
[li]There have been threats of untold mayhem from politicians, was this a manifestation on such a threat?[/li]
[/list]

Good questions.
The blame of the death of the innocent people should go to the government.
If MEND wanted to kill innocent people, why would it give warning about the bomb.

I can guarantee you all those kind of roads are in every state, not just Ogun.

Amnesty is not going to stop armed robbers. What is happening is that armed robbers are now going into the arena of kidnapping because its more lucrative. The situation in the niger delta is completely different with a root cause.

What if GEJ want to contest again in 2015?

Beaf:
There are so many vultures on this thread, preying on slap1's current state of insecurity.
The way most are going, you would think the problem of kidnapping suddenly arose during GEJ's leadership. You would think Imo has a wretched governor because of GEJ.
You wouldn't imagine that the problem has developed from years of rule by the critics preferred type of ruler.

The chief security officer of the state, is the governor. He has done little to sort the problem.
Security chiefs (not your usual area commanders) have been briefed and sent out by GEJ, both military and police units have been mobilised; for the first time in our history, an anti-terrorist unit has been let loose. What more do critics want, that GEJ should pick up an AK and head for Aba?
Even at the peak of Anini's extended reign of terror in 80's Benin, IBB never declared a state of emergency. So why is Jonathan expected to do that?

Looking at more difficult situations abroad, such as the September 11 attacks in the US, no state of emergency was declared, even though the country had to live through an extended period of uncertainty. One has to ask why Nigerians are comforted by the display or application violence. Is is due to the trauma of long years of military rule? Why can other countries contain much worse security situations without breaking a sweat? My take on that is that we need councelling, exposure and reassurance.

critical thinking really needs to be taught in schools.

My brother you hit the nail on the head. You asked a very good question which i have bolded.
You see, the problem we have in nigeria is very great and almost impossible. A generation have grown up knowing black as white and white as black. These have to be delivered from mental slavery and have their mentality completely changed. Nigerians who are 35 year old and under have known only corruption all their life. When they see people trying to do things in a different way they get agitated. Yes the prolong military rule is is one of the main cause of the problem.

Jarus:
Nobody is asking for dictatorial leadership, what we are saying is that he needs to get on top of the situation, which he doesn't appear to be now. That is why some of us laugh when we heard the part of his declaration speech that says 'my message to kidnappers etc is that they should be ready for a fight, ' as if he was not the one in office in the unprecendent surge of kidnapping in the last 5 months.
Save his vendetta tendency, Obasanjo remains one of our best president so far. His full control of national affairs and firm stand is what Nigeria need. After the death of a 'slow motion' Yar'adua, we can't afford to have another 'baba go slow'. We need a leader that will be on top of his job.

What is your definition of getting on top of things? From the little am reading here, it seems not until he comes to the TV and say " I declare a state of emergency bla bla bla" before some of you will say he is doing something. The last i heard, the anti terrorist squad is already in abia state. These guys normally don't come out for anything. This is the first time they are coming out for issues like this.

With the gra gra of OBJ which you call a good leader, for 8 years, he could not use his intelligence to solve the fuel scarcity problem. Something GEJ did in two months. Did OBJ gra gra style stop the islamic terrorist in the north? Did it solve the niger delta issue? No it only made it worse.  Like i said, a generation of nigerians have grown up knowing only a certain kind of leadership and way of doing things. Anything that is outside that scope is frowned at.

9ijaMan:
Which part of dreamland do you reside in. Which power has improved? Abi no be the same 9ja wey all of us belong to? Talking about cartel, you must have been imagining a lot. It's only in 9ja that you'll find people praising government becos they perceive that fuel is readily available. Has the cost of transportation reduced? You comments smacks of someone who has little to say 'cos he's only ready to peddle half truths due to blind followership of a failed government.

Maybe power has not improved in your specific area but in general, most people agree that power has improved.
You seem to indulge in hating. You were quick to claim power has not improve. But when it came to fuel scarcity, you are saying why should we praise someone for doing what he should be doing. I am not praising GEJ, just stating the fact. Something you seem to hate to hear. Is it too much to acknowledge the fact that he has solved fuel scarcity? Why bring the issue to cheaper transportation. Can you solve the fuel scarcity and bring about cheaper transportation in three months if you were the president?