MEND Nigeria-Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta-MEND-Official News Site -tracking News, Articles, Interviews and Opinions, related to MEND- from 1999 to Present

11/19/2008

opinion Lagos — In the last few weeks, the news from the Niger Delta region has not been all violence, kidnappings and sabotage. There has been a semblance of meeting of minds between the federal government and the leaders of the sub-region. First, on October 14, an 11-member delegation of leaders from the South-South geopollitical zone led by retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Mr. Justice Adolphus Karibi Whyte were at the Presidential Villa Abuja. They came to present the resolutions of the Vanguard-organised South-South Legislative Retreat on Constitutional Review held in August 2008 to the Federal Government. Among the delegation were the former Governor of Delta State and the President of the Urhobo Progressive Union, Olorogun Felix Ibru, former

11/17/2008

Abuja — Crude oil smuggling continues unabated in the Niger Delta in southern Nigeria, spurred by chronic under-development, a disaffected youth, and increasing lawlessness. Mohammed Umar, an Abuja-based oil industry analyst, estimates that at least 100,000 barrels of oil are stolen every day through the process known as bunkering, while Human Rights Watch says it could be as much as 300,000.

11/15/2008

Leadership (Abuja) opinion In the early hours of November 10, 1995, Ken Saro Wiwa, writer, environmentalist and businessman was hanged along- side eight other Ogoni activists at a prison in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Reports say it took five attempts to hang the social-rights advocate. His corpse was dumped in an unmarked grave, acid poured on his remains and soldiers posted outside the cemetery. He was accused of inciting Ogoni youths to murder some Ogoni leaders who were perceived to be traitors in their quest to get a better deal from oil exploration companies on their soil, an allegation which had faced both international and national rebuttal and condemnation.

11/15/2008

Leadership (Abuja) Abuja — While the jubilation over the victory of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole in Edo state lasted, militant groups in the Niger Delta area have called on the unionist governor to perform.

11/14/2008

Lagos — Shell said yesterday it successfully contained the oil spill caused by suspected saboteurs, who used a hack-saw to cut through the company's Adibawa delivery pipeline in the Okordia-Zarama community in Bayelsa State.

11/13/2008

analysis Barely few weeks from an earlier published analysis in this medium painting a scenario of an imminent arms uprising and total anarchy in the entire Gulf of Guinea, the Nigerian and Cameroonian governments are already at a cross road on how best to tackle a dirty hostage crisis that has resulted in the killing of one of the 10 mostly French hostages seized last week by a Bakassi militant group.

11/12/2008

Port Harcourt — The military Joint Task Force (JTF) has warned that after condoning unprovoked attacks from militants for sometime now, they would henceforth be met with an unprecedented and far reaching response. Briefing the press yesterday, Spokesman of the Joint Task Force , Sagir , said he was directed by the Commander of the JTF, Brigadier General Sarkin Yaki-Bello, to issue the warning and chronicled all the attacks the militants had carried out against their locations.

11/11/2008

Six militants were feared dead when they made an attempt to attack oil facilities in Soku area yesterday morning. Spokesman of the army and Joint Task Force in the state Lieutenant Col Sagir Musa told Vanguard that the gun men came in about six speed boats.

11/07/2008

Militants yesterday abducted Rev Gabriel Gborogbosi in Garoka, Gokana local government area of the state. Army spokesman in the state Sagir Musa who confirmed the development to newsmen in Port Harcourt said the hostage is father of a Shell staff.

11/07/2008

Lagos — A socio-cultural group, Yoruba National Youth Movement (YNYM) has cautioned the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) against attacking federal lawmakers' cars. It also slammed those alleging found in purchase of cars by the Demiji Bankole-led House of Representatives, saying the allegation was politically motivated.