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

06/27/2009

Daily Independent (Lagos) Port Harcourt — Militants on Friday in Port Harcourt, declared their acceptance of the amnesty granted them by President Umaru Yar'Adua with some fresh conditions, even as they have appointed Rochas Okorocha as their ambassador of peace.

06/27/2009

interview There does not seem to be a consensus among militants in the Niger Delta on the amnesty from the federal government. While some fear it is a booby trap that should be avoided with a long spoon others think accepting the amnesty would amount to shutting them out of their sources of income. There is the third group that has indicated intention to embrace the amnesty. And they include Sobomabo Jackreece aka Egberipapa who is currently languishing in a JTF detention camp in the state.

06/27/2009

Warri — BARELY 12 hours after President Umaru Yar'Adua proclaimed amnesty for militants in the Niger_Delta on Thursday, the Movement for Emancipation of the Niger_Delta (MEND) blew up a well head (jacket B) of the Shell Afremo off_shore oil field in Delta State, claiming its action was in response to the razing down of the homes of some perceived militants at Agbeti community in the state by the Joint Task Force (JTF) on the Niger_Delta, earlier that day.

06/26/2009

Port Harcourt — The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) yesterday blew up three Shell flow stations in Rivers State. MEND spokesman, Jomo Gbomo said the Russian President Medvedev's visit coincided with Hurricane Piper Alpha which struck yesterday. He maintained that the attack was to commemorate his visit.

06/26/2009

Port Harcourt — WHILE President Umaru Yar'Adua and other government officials were getting ready to announce amnesty plans for militants in the Niger Delta, the Shell pipeline in Bille/Krakrama, Rivers state was attacked by MEND, with a resultant shutdown of the facility.

06/26/2009

Daily Independent (Lagos) Abuja — President Umaru Yar'Adua delivered on his promise on Thursday, and signed the proclamation of amnesty for Niger Delta insurgents who surrender arms and cease hostilities.

06/26/2009

Lagos — Oil prices rose towards $70 a barrel yesterday following an attack on Shell's Billie-Krakama pipeline in Rivers State by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND). The damaged pipeline, THISDAY learnt, feeds into pumping stations connected to the Bonny crude terminal.

06/26/2009

The long-promised offer of an amnesty for militants in the restive Niger Delta region was finally delivered yesterday when they were given 100 days to surrender all their arms and renounce militancy in all its ramifications.

06/25/2009

Lagos — THE Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has warned that crude oil supply to refineries will dry up in 15 days if the vandalism of oil pipelines in the Niger Delta continues unabated. In a related development, the Italian giant, Eni, has confirmed declaring a force majeure on shipments from the Brass export terminal in Nigeria after an attack on a pipeline facility operated by its subsidiary, Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC).

06/25/2009

Abuja — President Umaru Yar'adua will propose a 60-day amnesty programme for militants in the Niger Delta when the Council of State meets in Abuja today, according to Reuters news agency. The government estimates as many as 20,000 militants could participate in the programme. Militant attacks in the region, where foreign oil firms including Royal Dutch Shell, Exxon Mobil and Chevron have operations, have cut Nigerian oil output to less than two thirds of its installed capacity of 3 million barrels per day over the past three years.