₦airaland Forum

bluehorizo:
But a source close to the former government of President Olusegun Obasanjo says the problem is not about quashing militants in boats.

Some of the people who run the cartels are among Nigeria's top political "godfathers", who wield massive political influence.

"If the president goes after them, they could destabilise the country, cause a coup, a civil war. They are that powerful, they could bring the state down," said the source, who did not want to be identified.

He says that attempts in the past to bring the trade under control were stopped for that reason.

"This is an industry that makes £30m ($60m) a day, they'd kill you, me, anyone, in order to protect it," he said.

He should name and shame them. . . . Danjuma is one of them. . . . A lot of them are Fulani 'godfathers'

Make una dey there dey yarn. This apology could lead to $$$ for those Black Americans.

This issue of apology clears the way for them to challenge for reparations.

ono:
Ibime, you have done so well, I bet I couldn't have gone this far.

These guys are testing my patience brother. . . . it is not easy being a minority in Nigeria, even on an internet forum . . . . but the truth has to be told and the position made clear.

Seun:
50% is as good as any other arbitrary number. they did not plant the oil, and the lands are not privately owned. The money they are getting is not being used properly and the militants will just use any money they get to buy more weapons.

Nigeria did not plant the oil, nor do they harvest it. They only refine it. They recieve a derivation from the oil companies.

I expect better from Mr Admin. This notion that the money will be embezzled is all part of Nigerias subversive tactics to undermine our struggle. If Nigeria want, they can put EFCC on our ass 24/7 after we get our derivation. The money will be going to the State Government, not the militants and it can be monitored. There is no will on their part to do this thats why they give this silly excuse of corruption. The Nigerian system of Government as it is now encourages and endorses corruption, not only in Naija Delta but everywhere in Naija - then they blame us for the corruption. Who halted Ibori's trial? Mr Yar'Adua himself, not the Delta people. This labelling of our people as terrorists and profiteers is a noose to hang us and is part of their strategy to win the ideological war in the minds of the people - and it is a war they are winning, by your evidence. The truth is that the militant problem in the Niger Delta was caused by the bastard sons of the PDP election machine, the same way they did in Cross River state and Oyo state. Therefore, we do not have a monopoly on militancy.

50% is simply the number agreed upon when we joined Nigeria and we demand that it is respected. I suggest other tribes do the same because one day it will be your turn. Nigeria is a country which mirrors the American system of Government and legislature. We have a Senate and House of Reps just like they do. Our Legal arm mirrors theirs. However, when it comes to the issue of fiscal federalism, we refuse to follow their example. If we aspire to be a democratic, civilised country, I suggest we start behaving as such because there are many tribes with conflict issues bubbling under the surface, not just Niger-Delta and when it is their turn, Nigeria will pull the same stunts they are pulling now, spreading misinformation about the tribe concerned.

Nigeria does not pacify its different tribes, not just Naija Delta but Ibo as well as many other tribes. After the war, instead of making sure the Ibos felt comfortable in Nigeria, they proceeded to disempower them and marginalise them. Now, this is causing problems for them because they have to be wary of their actions in Naija-Delta because there is  another hostile neighbour (Ibo) nearby. Contrast that with Britain where they gave Scotland voting power far beyond the size of their poulation. It takes two English votes to cancel out one Scottish vote. That is the behaviour of a civilised country.


I assure you, if the Hausa owned the oil, there is NO BLOODY WAY in hell they would accept anything less than 80%. If not, you can be sure they will start a civil war.

In the land of 419 and yahoo, we have been disgraced!

^^^^Ehe. . . you know I am not too sharp on Oyinbo music. . . . but that was a good song.

@ Texazzpete,

That is all we are asking for. It is well documented in our request to the Nigerian Government. You can google search it if you wish. They asked for 50% and $1bn in back payments to deal with some of the environmental problems, thats all. You will have peace from the Ijaw people, for sure. But all these other miscreants will need to be dealt with. It should be no problem to flush them out because they will have no core support. The only reason the Nigerian Government has not been to flush out MEND is that for every man you kill, another will take his place. Otherwise, it is easy to find the core members of MEND. I am sure the Yankees have already located them on GPS satellite long time ago.

^^^ Should pick up when the season starts.


Ben Haim sold to Man City for £5m.

Sky Blue:
When did the issue of kidnappings really blow up. around what period, please do tell.

The issue of kidnapping is not a MEND problem. If after all this time and all these explanations, you still need me to tell you that MEND do not kidnap Nigerians, then its a lost cause. MEND started out kidnapping foreign oil workers . . . . after warning them to leave the Niger Delta . . . . . . and they have even stopped that now since every Tom, Dick and Harry started doing it. The last time they kidnapped anyone was May 2007.

All these other groups kidnapping Nigerians are not MEND. The fact is that there are kidnappings is simply because the poor are striking back against the rich. It is a Nigerian problem. If Nigeria takes care of its citizens then this will not happen. I am sure you have heard that they have started kidnapping in Iboland and Lagos. Maybe you will blame MEND for that also. Oya, don't ask me again, please.

Sky Blue:
Why are you so quick to absolve MEND of any negative impact on the economy when oil ompanies and other businesses that have pulled out of the region have left has affected th indigenes of the state negatively.

Sometimes the people gotta suffer so their children can have justice. As the Pet Shop Boys sang on their no 1 single, referring to the Spanish Revolution "If you tolerate this, then your children will be next."

To answer this, you just need to look at Resolution 4 of the Kaiama declaration:

Ibime:
4, Ijaw youths in all the communities in all Ijaw clans in the Niger Delta will take steps to implement these resolutions beginning from the 30th of December, 1998, as a step towards reclaiming the control of our lives. We, therefore, demand that all oil companies stop all exploration and exploitation activities in the Ijaw area. We are tired of gas flaring; oil spillages, blowouts[b] and being labelled saboteurs and terrorists. It is a case of preparing the noose for our hanging. [/b] We reject this labelling. Hence, we advice all oil companies staff and contractors to withdraw from Ijaw territories by the 30th December, 1998 pending the resolution of the issue of resource ownership and control in the Ijaw area of the Niger Delta

It is not MEND that said it, it is the Ijaw people. Representatives from 500 different Ijaw communities agreed on this resolution. The oil companies can all return as soon as we have resolved this issue of resource control with the Nigerian Government. Until then, they have been advised to stay away.


This is the issue of resource control I am talking about.

Ibime:
h. That the principle of Derivation in Revenue Allocation has been consciously and systematically obliterated by successive regimes of the Nigerian state. We note the drastic reduction of the Derivation Principle from 100% (1953), 50% (1960), 45% (1970), 20% (1975) 2% (1982), 1.5% (1984) to 3% (1992 to date), and a rumored 13% in Abacha's 1995 undemocratic and unimplemented Constitution.

We agreed to join Nigeria on 50% derivation and until that contract is honoured, we will not rest.

I see you don't like to fight for what is yours. That is your problem.

I shall not entertain any more queries from you regarding MEND's authenticity because a profiteer does not risk his life travelling 120 miles into the Atlantic to blow up an oil installation for no obvious profit. By their fruits you shall know them.

Let us make clear the activities which MEND have been involved in. I am sure Texazzpete would like to pick over these bones. The bible says that by their fruits we shall know them. Let us see if MEND is terrorising Nigerian citizens or attacking oil installations:


Time Line of Activities

Nine officials for the Italian petrol company Eni SpA were killed when armed members of MEND attacked Eni SpA's security forces in Port Harcourt. MEND militants briefly occupied and robbed a bank near the Eni SpA base, leaving at about 3:30 p.m, about an hour after they showed up.

A company official stated, "Eni has temporarily evacuated staff and contractors from the area of the base affected by the incident and the situation is currently under control."

MEND issued a statement regarding the oil workers: "Be assured therefore that the hostages in return, will remain our guests,  [the hostages] are in good health and have adapted fairly well to the conditions under which the people of the Niger Delta have been kept."

On May 10, 2006, an executive with the United States-based oil company, Baker Hughes, was shot and killed in the south-eastern city of Port Harcourt. At the time of the shooting, it was not immediately known if MEND had any involvement or not. Witnesses say the attacker appeared to be specifically targeting the American executive. [13]

On June 2, 2006 a Norwegian rig offshore Nigeria was attacked and 16 crew members were kidnapped. According to the news agency Reuters, MEND has not taken responsibility for this attack. [14] (Norwegian)

On August 20, 2006, 10 MEND members were killed by the Nigerian military. The members were working on releasing a Royal Dutch Shell hostage. In an email to REUTERS, MEND stated, "Our response to Sunday's killings will come at our time, but for certain it will not go unpunished."[15]

On October 2, 2006, 10 Nigerian soldiers were killed off the shore of the Niger Delta in their patrol boat by a MEND mortar shell. Earlier that day a Nigerian/Royal Dutch Shell convoy was attacked in the Port Harcourt region resulting in some people being wounded.

On October 3, 2006, a militant group abducted four Scots, a Malaysian, an Indonesian and a Romanian from a bar in Akwa Ibom state.[16]

On October 4, 2006, Nigerian soldiers attacked a militant camp, in the ensuing battle 9 Nigerian soldiers were killed.[17]

On November 22, 2006, Nigerian soldiers attempted a rescue of kidnapped oil workers which resulted in one soldier being killed.

On May 1, 2007, MEND seized six expatriate workers from an offshore oil facility owned by Chevron. The group of six consisted of four Italians, an American and a Croat. On the same day, MEND published photos of the captives seated on white plastic chairs in a wooden shelter around the remains of a campfire.

On May 3, 2007, MEND seized eight foreign hostages from another offshore vessel. The hostages were released less than 24 hours later, stating they had intended to destroy the vessel and did not want more hostages.

On May 8, 2007, three major oil pipelines (one in Brass and two in the Akasa area) were attacked, shutting down oil production and cutting power to a facility run by Italian oil company Agip, part of the ENI energy group. An e-mail statement from a MEND spokesperson said, "Fighters of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) attacked and destroyed three major pipelines in Bayelsa state,  We will continue indefinitely with attacks on all pipelines, platforms and support vessels." [18]

On September 23, 2007, a MEND spokesperson named Jomo Gbomo announced, through a communique to the Philadelphia Independent Media Center, that media reports of his arrest and detention were false; and then further informed, through the letter, that MEND had officially declared war, effective 12 midnight, September 23, 2007, and that they would be commencing "attacks on installations and abduction of expatriates."[19]

On November 13, 2007, MEND militants attacked Cameroonian soldiers on the disputed Bakassi peninsula killing more than 20 soldiers, three days after this incident; a southern camerounian rebel group claimed responsibility to the attack on the camerounian soldiers.[20]

On May 3, 2008, MEND militants attacked Shell-operated pipelines in Nigeria, forcing the company to halt 170,000 barrels a day of exports of Bonny Light crude.[21]

On June 20, 2008, MEND naval forces attacked the Shell-operated Bonga oil platform, shutting down 10% of Nigeria's oil production in one fell swoop. The oil platform, Shell's flagship project in the area capable of extracting a massive 200,000 barrels of oil a day, was widely assumed to be outside the reach of the militants due to its location 120km off-shore. This attack has demonstrated a level of prowess and sophistication never before seen by the rebels and it is now known that all of Nigeria's oil platforms are within range of MEND attack. [22]

MEND is closely connected with Asari's Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force, a rebel group with similar aims. MEND reportedly seeks "a union of all relevant militant groups in the Niger Delta."[6] However, the identity of MEND is somewhat obscure since its leaders like to remain faceless[7] and its cause has been taken up by completely unrelated groups inspired by the original MEND, one of which is claiming responsibility for some of the violence that has occurred. However, the original members of MEND (recognized as MEND by the United States government and Chevron security), have claimed that impostors are causing some of the violence that is now occurring.[8]

MEND's evolving approach to conducting warfare has been described as "open source" [9], so called because it is analogous to the decentralized communal development process now prevalent in the software industry, making it extremely quick to innovate and move new technologies and tactics rapidly from cell to cell without the direction of a vulnerable leadership hierarchy.[10] Former Air Force counter-terrorism officer, technology analyst, and software entrepreneur, John Robb, in a Wired Magazine interview about the emergence of "open source guerrillas" alleged that MEND "doesn’t even field its own guerillas. They hire their experts and fighters mostly from criminal gangs and tribal warrior cults to do their operations." [11]


Tactics
MEND's attacks involve substantially more sophisticated tactics than those of previous militant groups in the Niger Delta, which typically involved "either riots and/or protests or bunkering gone awry."[citation needed] MEND's recent tactics have included:

Swarm-based maneuvers: Guerrillas are using speed boats in the Niger Delta's swamps to quickly attack targets in succession. Multiple, highly maneuverable units have kept the government and Shell's defensive systems off-balance defending the sprawling network.

Radically improved firepower and combat training: allowing guerrillas to overpower a combination of Shell's Western-trained private military guards and elite Nigerian units in several engagements. (One of Shell's private military operators was captured as a hostage.)

Effective use of system disruption: Targets have been systematically and accurately selected to completely shut down production and delay and/or halt repairs, and the guerrillas are making effective use of Shell's hostages to coerce both the government and the company.[

Thank you Oracle. I take the liberty to post the Kaiama declaration declared by Ijaw youth and instigated by Asari-Dokubo who Bystander loathes so much. The same Asari who all the tribal chiefs went to collect on his release from prison, who was greeted with gunshot salute on his return amidst jubilation. Yes, Asari, the terrorist.



INTRODUCTION

We, Ijaw youths drawn from over five hundred communities from over 40 clans that make up the Ijaw nation and representing 25 representative organisations met, today, in Kaiama to deliberate on the best way to ensure the continuos survival of the indigenous peoples of the Ijaw ethnic nationality of the Niger Delta within the Nigerian state.

After exhaustive deliberations, the Conference observed:

a. That it was through British colonisation that the IJAW NATION was forcibly put under the Nigerian State

b. That but for the economic interests of the imperialists, the Ijaw ethnic nationality would have evolved as a distinct and separate sovereign nation, enjoying undiluted political, economic, social, and cultural AUTONOMY.

c. That the division of the Southern Protectorate into East and West in 1939 by the British marked the beginning of the balkanisation of a hitherto territorially contiguous and culturally homogeneous Ijaw people into political and administrative units, much to our disadvantage. This trend is continuing in the balkanisation of the Ijaws into six states-Ondo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers and Akwa Ibom States, mostly as minorities who suffer socio-political, economic, cultural and psychological deprivations.

d. That the quality of life of Ijaw people is deteriorating as a result of utter neglect, suppression and marginalisation visited on Ijaws by the alliance of the Nigerian state and transnational oil companies.

e. That the political crisis in Nigeria is mainly about the struggle for the control of oil mineral resources which account for over 80% of GDP, 95 %of national budget and 90% of foreign exchange earnings. From which, 65%, 75% and 70% respectively are derived from within the Ijaw nation. Despite these huge contributions, our reward from the Nigerian State remains avoidable deaths resulting from ecological devastation and military repression.

f. That the unabating damage done to our fragile natural environment and to the health of our people is due in the main to uncontrolled exploration and exploitation of crude oil and natural gas which has led to numerous oil spillages, uncontrolled gas flaring, the opening up of our forests to loggers, indiscriminate canalisation, flooding, land subsidence, coastal erosion, earth tremors etc. Oil and gas are exhaustible resources and the complete lack of concern for ecological rehabilitation, in the light of the Oloibiri experience, is a signal of impending doom for the peoples of Ijawland.

g. That the degradation of the environment of Ijawland by transnational oil companies and the Nigerian State arise mainly because Ijaw people have been robbed of their natural rights to ownership and control of their land and resources through the instrumentality of undemocratic Nigerian State legislations such as the Land Use Decree of 1978, the Petroleum Decrees of 1969 and 1991, the Lands (Title Vesting etc.) Decree No. 52 of 1993 (Osborne Land Decree), the National Inland Waterways Authority Decree No. 13 of 1997 etc.

h. That the principle of Derivation in Revenue Allocation has been consciously and systematically obliterated by successive regimes of the Nigerian state. We note the drastic reduction of the Derivation Principle from 100% (1953), 50% (1960), 45% (1970), 20% (1975) 2% (1982), 1.5% (1984) to 3% (1992 to date), and a rumored 13% in Abacha's 1995 undemocratic and unimplemented Constitution.

i. That the violence in Ijawland and other parts of the Niger Delta area, sometimes manifesting in intra and inter ethnic conflicts are sponsored by the State and transnational oil companies to keep the communities of the Niger Delta area divided, weak and distracted from the causes of their problems.

j. That the recent revelations of the looting of national treasury by the Abacha junta is only a reflection of an existing and continuing trend of stealing by public office holders in the Nigerian state. We remember the over 12 billion dollars Gulf war windfall, which was looted by Babangida and his cohorts We note that over 70% of the billions of dollars being looted by military rulers and their civilian collaborators is derived from our ecologically devastated Ijawland.

Based on the foregoing, we, the youths of Ijawland, hereby make the following resolutions to be known as the Kaiama Declaration:

1. All land and natural resources (including mineral resources) within the Ijaw territory belong to Ijaw communities and are the basis of our survival.

2. We cease to recognise all undemocratic decrees that rob our peoples/communities of the right to ownership and control of our lives and resources, which were enacted without our participation and consent. These include the Land Use Decree and The Petroleum Decree etc.

3. We demand the immediate withdrawal from Ijawland of all military forces of occupation and repression by the Nigerian State. Any oil company that employs the services of the armed forces of the Nigerian State to "protect" its operations will be viewed as an enemy of the Ijaw people. Family members of military personnel stationed in Ijawland should appeal to their people to leave the Ijaw area alone.

4, Ijaw youths in all the communities in all Ijaw clans in the Niger Delta will take steps to implement these resolutions beginning from the 30th of December, 1998, as a step towards reclaiming the control of our lives. We, therefore, demand that all oil companies stop all exploration and exploitation activities in the Ijaw area. We are tired of gas flaring; oil spillages, blowouts and being labelled saboteurs and terrorists. It is a case of preparing the noose for our hanging. We reject this labelling. Hence, we advice all oil companies staff and contractors to withdraw from Ijaw territories by the 30th December, 1998 pending the resolution of the issue of resource ownership and control in the Ijaw area of the Niger Delta

5,  Ijaw youths and Peoples will promote the principle of peaceful coexistence between all Ijaw communities and with our immediate neighbours, despite the provocative and divisive actions of the Nigerian State, transnational oil companies and their contractors. We offer a hand of friendship and comradeship to our neighbors: the Itsekiri, Ilaje, Urhobo, Isoko, Edo, Ibibio, Ogoni, Ekpeye, Ikwerre etc. We affirm our commitment to joint struggle with the other ethnic nationalities in the Niger delta area for self-determination.

6. We express our solidarity with all peoples organisations and ethnic nationalities in Nigeria and elsewhere who are struggling for self-determination and justice. In particular we note the struggle of the Oodua peoples Congress (OPC), the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (Mosop), Egi Women's Movement etc.

7. We extend our hand of solidarity to the Nigerian oil workers (NUPENG and PENGASSAN) and expect that they will see this struggle for freedom as a struggle for humanity

8. We reject the present transition to civil rule programme of the Abubakar regime, as it is not preceded by restructuring of the Nigerian federation. The way forward is a Sovereign National Conference of equally represented ethnic nationalities to discuss the nature of a democratic federation of Nigerian ethic nationalities. Conference noted the violence and killings that characterized the last local government elections in most parts of the Niger Delta. Conference pointed out that these electoral conflicts are a manifestation of the undemocratic and unjust nature of the military transition programme. Conference affirmed therefore, that the military are incapable of enthroning true democracy in Nigeria.

9 We call on all Ijaws to remain true to their Ijawness and to work for the total liberation of our people. You have no other true home but that which is in Ijawland.

10 We agreed to remain within Nigeria but to demand and work for Self Government and resource control for the Ijaw people. Conference approved that the best way for Nigeria is a federation of ethnic nationalities. The federation should be run on the basis equality and social justice.

Finally, Ijaw youths resolve to set up the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) to coordinate the struggle of Ijaw peoples for self-determination and justice.

Well according to the Canary Wharf newspaper, the ship is leaving for Nigeria next week, so I don't know what you guys are saying about the ship not having engine etc.

And by the way, they only paid £20m for it.


BTW, Are the Choughary brothers still in Nigeria? I thought OBJ kicked them out. Those guys are crooks. Nigerians must make them pay for the money they stole during Abacha period.

bystander:
Thank you for the (1) to (8 ) lecture, but I am still waiting for you to answer my question with regards to what MEND-madness has done with the millions from kidnappings and oil smuggling to improve the living conditions of the ordinary Niger Deltarians.

I have already answered this. Must you persist? Please read my previous post. Does anyone ask the IRA why they have not developed Northern Ireland? The IRA's job was strictly to fight, nothing else. Have you been to ask the local communities how MEND may or may not have helped them? If they do, will they announce it? If they announce it, will the Government not attack that community as MEND sympathisers? What the phock are you talking about? A freedom fighter is not a philanthrophist. How much money does MEND have and how much good work can they do? After they spend their money, will you buy guns for them?

Ateke donated N150,000,000 to Okrika. Does that make him a good man? Please stop sidetracking with all this shenannigans about development.

Why should MEND not ask for the release of Alamaesiagha. Do you know how many guns he bought for them? Whether good or bad, his money is welcome. How many corrupt politicians gave Ojukwu money during the Biafran war? Ijaws have a right to be angry that Alama is being arrested when far bigger animals like Odili are roaming around freely. What kind of double standard is that? Either we fight corruption or not at all, stop being selective. Were they not investigating Alama simply because he gave money to MEND?

BTW, everybody knows Ojukwu ran for President - and look how they laughed at him.

Yeah. . . . this yacht is near my house. . . I read the story a few days ago. . . . apparently the Nigerian Tourist whatever wants to use it as a floating hotel.

See as this section get 8 pages in one day. If it was the political section, nobody go reply you

@ Poster,

A Jew man is a shaft man, an inshi man, a kpai-kpai guy, person wey no soji himself - or person wey no get scope.

Jew man is early 90's slang.

In English, he is a loser.

bystander:
If MEND is so beloved as you said, they would larger in numbers. Look at the time of Saro-Wiwa, he controlled 1000's if not 1000000 when he spoke. Not an illiterate like Mujahadin Dokubi-Asari - by the way, as an insider, can you tell me if there was a deal between him and Al-Quaida as he converted to Islam?

This just proves that you don't know what you are talking about - the leader of MEND is Victor Ben, not Asari. Yes, you have never heard of him, because his only concern is guerrilla warfare, not political thuggery or big man behaviour.

Asari is the leader of the NDPFV. Please do your research. And your anti-Islam views just show that your opinions are formed from hearsay.

If you are confusing MEND with Asari, then I don't blame you for your antipathy. Asari is involved in many dubious things however I respect him because he is the only thug that supports the struggle (despite his other thuggish behaviour) and because he was the one who went after Ateke when Ateke burned down my village.

bystander:
Look at the time of Saro-Wiwa, he controlled 1000's if not 1000000 when he spoke. Not an illiterate like Mujahadin Dokubi-Asari - by the way, as an insider, can you tell me if there was a deal between him and Al-Quaida as he converted to Islam?

Saro-Wiwa is a political leader, not a militia. How many members of the IRA do you know? Even if they support the IRA, they are not members. I am a supporter of MEND, not a member. So are many members of family. It is good to be informed. Any Naija-Deltan who is informed will know who to support and who not to. Not everybody is meant to carry guns . . . . but we support the ones who carry it for us. . . . and they support the political wing who carry out negotiations for them. . . unfortunately, in this Nigeria, no one dare claim to be a member of the political wing because they saw what happened to Saro-Wiwa. But I know professors, learned men who support MEND with advice and strategy. That is why their press releases are always educated and have strategy.


Lemme tell you why I support MEND, from brother to brother:

(1.) MEND is the only group who have a clear strategy in this insurrection.

(2.) They are the only group who put out press releases informing the world of their actions. This gives you a semblance of organisation.

(3.) They are the only group who did not get involved in PDP election thugging. They were not paid by any politician and that is why you never hear them involved in any political scandal.

(4.) They are the only group seeking to unite all the fighters in the region to go against a common enemy (Nigerian Government) and stop inflicting harm on the people.

(5.) They are the the only group with a solid base of intellectuals behind them

(6.) They are the only group who are not involved in kidnapping

(7.) They are the only group who attack oil installations and tell the world about it. And I am not talking pipelines like common thugs do. I am talking highly specialised engineers blowing up highly flammable installations - and they even travelled 200 miles into the Atlantic ocean - what other group can do that?

(8.) Victor Ben once said: "Even if all these other militants sell out the struggle, God must use one person to make a stand because all this injustice cannot go on."



They may have some dubious elements and animals amongst them but a flawed freedom fighter is better than none at all. After all, during the Biafran war, the Biafran soldiers oppressed their own people, ate their food and even raped their own women at times - but the people still supported them.


And BTW, MEND does not run for election under a constituion they do not respect. That is like Ojukwu running for election when he does not support the notion of one Nigeria - it only brings shame on you.

Big B1, abeg leave McKren alone, the man made some very good suggestions.

McKren:
My solution on this day the 29th of July 2008
(needs a very honest implementation by Mr President)

1. Grant Amnesty to any ex-public office holder (before 1st August 2008) currently facing corruption charges on the agreement that they will repratriate all of their funds back to Nigeria to invest in one sector of the economy. Either Electricity generation or sports.
If it is at anytime found that you have resources hidden abroad, you loose your amnesty and will face trial for both treason and corruption with a fine as much as 3/5 of your net worth.

2. Work closely with NASS to pass FOI bill and make it a requirement that all government programmes and project plans (at State and LGA level) are published with adequate monitoring plans, showing clear quaterly milestones so that members of the public can on their own inspect projects.

3. Reveiw the immunity clause, shield Governors and President from prosecution by members of the public but Governors will not be shielded from prosecutions by Government institutions like Police, EFCC, ICPC, State Prosecutors, Attorney General of Federation.

4. Make the office of AGF independent of Presidency.

5. Ensure that any public officer with glaring question of corruption is investigated and tried immediately by the appropriate agency.

I agree completely. . . .also all states should have an EFCC.

On top of that:

(6.) All Police should be paid properly. Any policeman caught taking rojer should be imprisoned and their commanding officer demoted. That way, all C.O's will enforce strict authority over their force. Same goes for army etc

I have no apathy to Odili. He burned down my village. I hope that bastard rots in hell as well as all the kidnappers and criminals, especially Ateke who carried out the dastardly act - but a wise man does not fight 2 enemies at the same time. The Nigerian Government would have loved it if MEND went after Ateka and Odili. It only distracts MEND and creates bad press - we saw what happened when Ateke fought Soboma George (who was hired by Odili because Ateke will not obey him anymore). Do not think they haven't considered killing Odili and do not think Odili will go scot-free. Why do you think he didn't want to come to PH for the TRC? He is scared for his safety.

I really don't know what you are getting at with all this NNPC conspiracies. Please provide a list of all the oil attacks, let us see what you are talking about. Did MEND not threaten to blow up that NNPC pipeline within the next 30 days? However, I would not be surprised if some Hausa men are helping militants ship their bunkered oil. My friend is a soldier and he used to help some militants do it. If anyone is helping MEND ship out oil, whether they know it or not, they are helping the war effort because that money is going into buying guns  . So they are pawns. . . . Nigerian society allows such corruption to take place and if such unscrupulous Nigerians do not believe in one Nigeria, then why should we?

I can't believe that Bystander is here, inviting Nigerian forces onto our land and claiming to be from Niger Delta . . especially after seeing what they did in Odi. . . .tufiakwa . . .shame on your household. . . . bloody simpleton. . . simpletons only think about peace and stability, even under poverty and oppression.

Bystander, please keep bystanding . . . it is obvious you are a simpleton and cannot reason properly or sift out information well. . . . especially as you claim to be a Niger-Deltan, yet you do not know the difference between a freedom fighter and a greedy profiteer. . . . you must have been bystanding all this while cos your knowledge of current affairs is rather shaky. . . go and ask ow11 what it means to be a Niger-Deltan. . . even a Yorubaman like Davidlyan knows what cause we are fighting for. . . you read the news but your brain is too small to process information through all the talk of kidnappings, bunkering, militancy etc. . . . there is nothing like one Nigeria under unfairness and inequality . . . and that is all. . . .

Texazzpete, yes MEND supported Ateke by proxy in his war against Nigerian soldiers despite their differences. This is what happens in war.

That does not mean to say they support his actions. They supported their enemy against a greater enemy. Does Yankee have to support Sharia law just because they are allies with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan? Did they support the gassing of the Kurds just because they supported Saddam against Iran?

“Our call for unity amongst every fighting force in the Niger Delta against a common enemy makes it imperative that MEND take sides in spite of our differences with Ateke Tom and will support him with fighters and heavy weapons including anti- aircraft guns."

@ tpia. Unfortunately, the Nigerian Government only understands the language of violence. We pursued peaceful avenues for 40 years and look where it got us? If you think the Ogoni did not resort to violence, please go and read again. There were several deadly clashes between Ogoni and soldiers, Ogoni and Okrika (whom the government used to distract them), Ogoni even killed all their elders who wanted to negotiate with the Nigerian Government. Is that not why Saro-Wiwa was hung? Cos they accused him of killing those elders?

The only reason Ogoni issue did not spill over is cos they have a small population.



@ Texazzpete, MEND is not the police so don't ask me why they are not chasing kidnappers. They probably have less than three hundred men. I could tell you about a hostage they recovered for her husband . . . .but no need to waste my time. . . because that is not their job.


It is also not their job to develop the Niger-Delta. We have our philanthropists for that. Their job is to be the military voice of the struggle - to make small gra-gra for the Nigerian Government on behalf of us. Nobody in Niger-Delta is asking for development. Our gripe is for resource control aka fiscal federalism.


The only valid point you make is that MEND may have spawned some bastard sons who left them to chase money. There is no record of this, but it could be true. Unfortunately man is greedy by nature and that is beyond MEND's control. Which military organisation does not have bastard sons? Is it the Nigerian military?


@ SkyBlue, stop talking nonsense. You are not from any Niger-Delta. ow11 is from Niger-Delta. I know a Niger-Deltan when I see one. Maybe you lived there before, you visited or your friends live there or whatever. If you are, I suggest you educate yourself on the situation real quick and learn to seperate facts from generalities. All right-minded Niger Deltans want the militants killed or imprisoned. They all want the security situation to be stabilised and the kidnappers dealt with and Odili and the rest brought to justice.

But this issue of 'resource control' is a genuine goal of ours and MEND is the only militant group fighting toward that goal. Nigeria will want to tell you that those militants are not freedom fighters, they are all thieves - so that you do not adress the genuine concern of the people.


If you are informed about this situation, you will know that it is MEND policy not to take hostages, especially Nigerian hostages. No kidnapping, no electoral tuggery. These are policies of MEND. The only militancy MEND is involved with is the sabotaging of the Nigerian economy. The only point you could fault them is that they are oil bunkerers - not surprising, since they need guns and bombs. They have never terrorised the PH populace, nor any populace. Whenever they have shown up in any community, they have been sheltered and hidden away from the Nigerian forces. No other militant group has even ever attacked them. Go and ask Asari, Ateke and Soboma how many times they have fought amongst themselves. A Niger-Delta man does not ask me why MEND never dealt with Odili and such. I addressed this fully in the MEND thread. Odili was in control of the NDVF and Tom Ateke, and a 'freedom fighting' group like MEND has no business bogging itself down in internal conflic. Like I told you, their only aim is the sabotage of the Nigerian economy.


Lemme give you a pop quiz of common Nigerian newspaper headlines:


Kidnappers abduct three year old girl

MEND blows up pipeline in Kolokuma 

Militants raid government house, demand cash from Odili

Militants clash with government forces            _{(Hint: this is MEND)}

Militants and cultist clash in PH: Governor declares state of emergency

Cultists kill 15, 7 wounded in clashes in Delta

MEND blows up control tower in Atlantic Ocean

MEND attacks pipeline in Ogba-Ebema LGA

Militants kidnap Commisioners wife

MEND claims responsibility for attack on oil installation in Degema

Militant groups clash in Port Harcourt over election balloting




Now, these are the usual headlines in Nigerian Press. So tell me: which one is freedom fighting and which one is profiteering?

Sky Blue:
Please no one asked you to speak for everybody, speak for yourself. I know a lot of people in Port Harcourt and have friends there and none of them are rejoicing over militancy but find the insecurity quite irritating. Insecurity that has actually led to reduction in the little employment that was there in the first place.

Why do you ask me who I speak for? Are you from Niger Delta? Well, shut up then.

People in Port-Harcourt are scared of Soboma George, Tom Ateke, kidnappers etc. Nobody in PH is scared of MEND. GET THAT THROUGH YOUR THICK SKULL!

Your friends told you they are scared of militants, not MEND! You are abviously too stupid to tell the difference. If we want to chase me all over Nairaland, go to the previous thread where we had this discussion and read my explanation on why MEND could not go after Odili.

You don't know how to differentiate between MEND and militants? People in PH are scared of getting kidnapped or shot at, not because some oil installation in faraway Opuruama got blown up. MEND do not take hostages and are not involved in kidnapping or election thuggery. The problem they had last year in PH was totally orchestrated by the PDP. Ateke was a PDP thug who turned against them so they hired Soboma George to go after him, causing chaos all over PH. This is all PDP work.

MEND is not even in PH.

Please read posts before raising the same old shit I have already dealt with weeks ago.

Now, abi you want to speak for Niger Delta?

dayokanu:
When I was in the University in the mid 90's, we had Mobil and Elf schorlarship for the oil producing areas. Before the days of MEND maybe if you say Saro Wiwa but not MEND and Asari.

Since 2001, I have known of community slots in oil company recruitment. Definitely Asari and MEND were not in existence then.

NDDC has been in existence for how long? Since 2000 that is before MEND and Asari. What of OMPADEC,

Go to the NDDC site here http://nddc.gov.ng/ and see for yourself. Its run by Niger Deltans  SO what else do these Militants want.

Yes, my Aunty worked for OMPADEC and now NNDC. Even in 1970, my father had SHELL Scolarship to UK. These things have always been there . . . . but not enough. . . .In 1970, only 4 people from Rivers State recieved SHELL scholarship . . . . and none of them ended up working for SHELL . . . . what difference does 4 people make when the major ethnic groups already have hundreds and thousands in the oil industry, and keep hiring their brothers, perpetuating the problem. . . . . .when my father came back to Naija, he told of Hausas and Yorubas less qualified than himself running things in NNPC and the oil companies and giving jobs to their brothers. Fresh graduates managing something they know nothing about. He did projects for NNPC in Bonny and could not believe the incompetence of some of these people. 

The fact is that people like MEND and Saro-Wiwa have achieved results for us. There are now positive discrimination schemes and such, much more than before. FG has announced it is opening a Petroleum institute in Delta abi Bayelsa. Good news.

You have to understand the politics of Nigeria at the turn of independence to know why we were marginalised. Three political parties were controlled by three different tribes because an Ibo man would always vote for N.C.N.C, the Hausa man would always vote for the N.P.C and the Yoruba man would always vote for the A.G. Therefore the coalition government had no incentive to make appointments from ethnic minorities because they could not lose their core voting blocs. Therefore the whole country (including the oil industry) was split into three pies with no regard for any other ethnic minority. There are still other ethnic minorities suffering, who are yet to raise their voice because Nigeria always believes that as long as there is a balance between Yoruba, Ibo and Hausa, then everything is OK - even if the other groups have nothing. This is the politics of power.


The odds were stacked against us from the jump and all these little bitty scholarships cannot change any of that.

dayokanu:
Go to the NDDC site here http://nddc.gov.ng/ and see for yourself. Its run by Niger Deltans  SO what else do these Militants want.

Do not ask what the militants want, ask what the Nider Delta people want. I can tell you what MEND wants because their wants are the same as their people. I don't know what the other militant groups want. As for MEND and the Niger Delta people, we want a return to constitution upon which we agreed to join Nigeria - 50% for the region and 50% for the Federal Government.

Right now, this 13% is not enough - especially as the people of the Niger Delta and oil producing Ibo regions are more than 13% of the population anyway. The Hausa man NEVER wants you to discuss this federal derivation. They always want to talk about development. Well, phock development. We signed a contract with Nigeria in 1960 and we will not rest until that contract is honoured, otherwise we will blow this shit to smithereens.

If not for MEND, we would not even have got that 13%. If not for MEND, they would not have increased these scholarship and positive discrimination schemes that they used to pay lip service to in the 1990's. I remember when OBJ was fighting with us over offshore dichotomy and Asari them made a lot of noise on our behalf.

dayokanu:
The reason why Army have to exercise restraint is that this is more like a Guerilla warfare and the militant are in the civilian populace.

You are right. It is guerilla warfare. There is no guerilla warfare without the consent of the people. The people FULLY support MEND, from educated to illiterate, old to young, male to female. MEND is our voice. The government always tries to discredit them in the media by classifying them with the other militants but the fact is that MEND is only concerned with political activities and blowing up oil installations, nothing else. All these kidnappings and profiteering and election thuggery is the work of other groups. That is why when you hear that a pipeline is blown up, it is always MEND who did it, no other militants.

dyabman:
Guys lets try something new this time i know u have heard of it before but this time lets make it competitive within ourselves , Its the fantasy Game on premierleague.com

http://fantasy.premierleague.com click or paste that on your web stuff and register , once that is done , Theres a private league on there which we are going to know ourselves as a compete to stay on top. Now this is the created league code

I will enter this in two or three weeks. Just waiting to see which new signings come to the Prem first. I am sure the rest of the guys would wanna compete with each other also.

The reason the Army needs to exercise restraint has nothing to do with their 'ideals'. If the militants were in some barren land such as the Middle Belt, they would have flushed them out long ago with no mercy, even ethnic cleansing as they did in Zaki. The only reason they have not moved in is that the oil is being held hostage. If they move in, oil production would stop completely.

dayokanu:
You guys should know the truth

If oil should dry up today The North wont suffer because its only the politicians and govt officials that would have their income stopped. The average Northerner is too poor and too unenlightened to even know that their is something called oil.

I met some people in Bauchi, Yobe and Jigawa State who don't know the name of the Country they are. Is it a cattle rearer that would feel the impact of oil income?

The North despite all their years of power are still very poor and backward. They are Nigerias main source of Wild polio export to the world. That should generate income for them.

It is in the South where we expect development from our govt. where we expect roads, Where we expect Civil servant salaries to be paid, Where people have high expectation from their lives.

While in the South, we have crippled our Agricultural sector and the Manufacturing sector.

An average southerner is ambitious wants to get the best. want to rival an American. while a Northerner is content with eating Tuwo mansara and Shacking Fura de Nunu.

After that, His problem is solved.

This is true talk. Even when we say 'Hausa', we really mean 'Fulani' because the Hausa have a peasant lifestyle. They are dominated and controlled by the Fulani and the Fulani are the only ones who benefit from this thing called Nigeria, with all its oil wealth.

dayokanu:
Are you really in PH? Cos I am very close to those off shore communities and I have come to realise that all those militants are criminals.

All those militants or MEND? Which one?

dayokanu:
Oil community indegenes get Schorlarship to go to Universities.

Very recently. Thanks to MEND.

dayokanu:
Oil community Graduates are given preferential treatment in getting oil jobs via the community slots.

Very recently. Thanks to MEND

dayokanu:
They Benefit from NDDC funds.

Very recently. Thanks to MEND, Saro-Wiwa and Asari-Dokubo

dayokanu:
So what is their Problem?

Their problem is that the above stated will not satisfy us now until we return to the original constitution upon which we agreed to join Nigeria - or forget it.

We noticed that unless you do gra-gra in this Nigeria, you will never get anything for yourselves. The Hausa man will give job to his brother, the Yoruba and Ibo will do the same - and suddenly, you find that you have nothing but pollution and oppression.

MEND blew up some more pipelines? GBOSA!

Texazzpete and Dayo, you can cry all you want. It is time for you to feel the pain - the pain of the sons of illiterates giving jobs to their brothers, other sons of illiterates - whilst you, whose own grandfather was educated is shut out. They marginalise you, then they query your education. Whereas your people have been educated since the late 1800's and early 1900's. Feel the pain.

We are all behind MEND. Thank God they are the only group who didn't sell out on the struggle - despite all your efforts to tarnish their reputation, they have the respect of the people.

Blow the whole damn shit to smithereens for all I care. Let us return to the constitution on which we agreed to join Nigeria or not at all.

Well, I really genuinely hope they can resurrect their agriculture industry so that Nigeria can have a balanced economy. That way, we will not have all these tensions between ourselves. I am sure that if they could provide for themselves, they would not even want to be a part of Nigeria.

No Nigerian slang is annoying. They are all sweet to the tongue.

It is Yankee slang that pisses me off.

Hmmmmmmm . . . . . .what of this Serbian guy? - Karidic or whatever. . . . he committed his crimes before 1999. . . . . so whichever court they are using to try him would suffice for Obasanjo.