25 June 2009
editorial
Abuja — Last week, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) gave what it said was notice warning that within two months, it would escalate its terrorist activities to the North by launching a major attack there.
It also threatened to attack other Nigerians of northern origin resident in the Niger Delta region, and their interests. The armed militant group went further to ask people of the Niger Delta origin living in northern parts of the country to "return home within the next eight weeks". The threat, according to MEND's spokesman, Jomo Gbomo, was because elites in the North "are taking us for fools and the majority of soldiers (fighting us) are from the North". From all indications, MEND's threat is in reaction to the on- going military operations in the region, which was occasioned by the recent ambush and killing of 12 soldiers, including two officers, by MEND in the region. The bodies of the assassinated soldiers are yet to be recovered.
We are not sure why MEND is making this threat now, when various measures, governmental and non-governmental, are being stepped up to resolve the festering crisis in the Niger Delta region. One way of looking at that, given the group's often confusing responses, some uncompromising rejection, to these various steps, is that it is feeling the heat of the JTF's operations. Playing the ethnic card in justifying their criminal acts in the region is the new ploy to try to garner sympathy for their cause, which does not enjoy the support of the people of the area, or of the rest of the country. Such threat also says a lot about the group's perception of the present government, which for too long has dealt lightly with the incipient criminality in the region. The current military operation is not the first such action on recalcitrant militants in the area. There were several in the last eight years, one of which was at Odi. But there had not been questions about the ethnic composition of personnel involved. MEND, it seems, only understands the language of force. No right-thinking citizen would subscribe to the reprehensible methods that MEND and similar groups employ in expressing their causes, vague though are.
MEND has, since it reared its head a couple of years ago, wreaked havoc to the nation's major source of foreign earnings. Statistics show that the crime being perpetrated by militants in the Niger Delta has hurt the Nigerian oil exports,- costing an estimated 800,000 barrels per day, or over 25 percent of Nigeria's production capacity. MEND has articulated three major demands, the release of their leader, Henry Okah, who is currently facing trial for treason and other high crimes, receipt of 50 percent of revenue from oil sales by government and the withdrawal of government troops from the region. The problem is that the MEND make their demands and expect them to be met overnight, and then follows up threats and actual use of violence, kidnapping, murders, economic sabotage. No government, no matter how benevolent or democratic can negotiate under the gun. President Umaru Yar'adua has over the past two years offered dialogue and even amnesty; In return Nigerians got mayhem from MEND. Now, they threaten the interests of people that constitute more than half the entire country, in population and landmass. The unity of Nigeria cannot be compromised; MEND should not find space to precipitate that.
Though both the police and the military authorities have indicated their readiness to curtail any threat to peace and unity of the country, the pronouncement by MEND should not be treated with kid gloves. While we condemn such unguarded utterances, we wish to advice the MEND leadership to use this opportunity and embrace meaningful dialogue with government towards ensuring the speedy implementation of the amnesty package and the general development of the Niger Delta region. This is the only way the militants can hope convince Nigerians that they are truly interested in obtaining what is a fair share of the nation's natural resources for the people of the region.
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I disagree with ur comment. the real thief this nation have ever had were mitary dictators from the North. Whose activities was wasting prominent life and polluting Niger Delta. Don't forget that even till the next generation the North can not face the Niger Deltans and the igbos. Ur power is not in the groundnut from kano but the oil&gas in Delta.
Perhaps somebody needs to set Garba straight that when the MEND said the “North” it is a reference to just a section of Nigeria. The “North” does not mean Nigeria as Garba’s ego seems to imply. FYI, Nigeria is an amalgam of more than 250 ethnic groups that are generally classified among the dominant nation states of Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa/Fulani. Since Garba alluded to Biafra of the last Civil War which was suppressed only because the Yoruba nation-state ganged with the Hausas (in other words, the Hausa/Fulani, by themselves, would have lost to the Igbo, were it not for… [Read Full Text]
Mr. kaparah is advocating for a nihilist agenda that may inadvertently obliterate the Niger Detans in their inordinate quest for the control of Natural Resources which traditionally falls under the jurisdiction of federal governments in all countries of the world. It is only in Nigeria that a terror organization will seek to control natural resources and will be openly vindicated by internet trolls, or more appropriately, by tribalists like Mr. Kaparah. Before oil was discovered the Federal Government of Nigeria survived on the sale of TIN and Agricultural Products. With the exception of… [Read Full Text]
Mr. kaparah is advocating for a nihilist agenda that may inadvertently obliterate the Niger Detans in their inordinate quest for the control of Natural Resources which traditionally falls under the jurisdiction of federal governments in all countries of the world. It is only in Nigeria that a terror organization will seek to control natural resources and will be openly vindicated by internet trolls, or more appropriately, by tribalists like Mr. Kaparah. Before oil was discovered the Federal Government of Nigeria survived on the sale of TIN and Agricultural Products. With the exception of… [Read Full Text]
Adamu Garba, Kaparah, Sonofmoman, and Karl ; I carefully analise all presentation this is my comment= The outcomes of our educational institutions recently are rotten with bundle of mediocrities like Oka in his coup presentations wishing to tumble Nigeria on his dreams of what Nigeria should be. infact i dont blame all of you it is how our educational institutions are run and we are getting the like taughts on .net.
Karl, I have given you all the relevant history you need to know as it pertains to the current issue wherein the "President of the North" by the name of YarAdua had the temerity to turn the guns to kill innocent women and children under the pretense of routing the so called Niger Delta militants. FYI, what may seem like radicals to some may be patriots to others depending on which side of the fence you are. I am not interested in the UK involvement anywhere - this is a local matter between Nigerians. How many thousands of Igbos and… [Read Full Text]
Kaparah, you forgot to mention the ganging up of unlikely bedfellows, Britain and USSR as well as moral support from the US administration. These people have since leant from 9-11 and 7-7 how dangerous the people who spearheaded the attack on Biafra could be. Again, locally, the Yorubas are not the only ones who have learnt their lessons. The minority ethnic groups who together form the majority in the north, who also did most of the fighting have learnt their lesson. After the war, their officer corps were accused of coups at different points during Murtala's, Babangida's… [Read Full Text]
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It is rather sad that inspite of the bunch of senseless morons who have binded their heads together to form the Niger Delta Elites.The leaders of this ungreateful armed robbers seem to forget so easily the exploites of the Nigerian State When Ojukwu felt he had developed the balls to challenge the resolve of the Nigerian State to remain united.This though happened at a time when Nigerian Military could be said to be in it infant stage.He ended up a renegade.Almost thirty years their after the Nigeriian state has shown the same resolve in maintaining peace in the sub-region.The expolits… [Read Full Text]