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
Abuja - Five days to the expiration of the amnesty offer to militants in the Niger Delta region to lay down their arms and embrace peace, the Federal Government yesterday read the riot act to unrepentant militants.
The government said it would deal "ruthlessly" with militants who fail to take advantage of the amnesty offer at the end of the deadline.
Port Harcourt - With five days to the end of the October 4, 2009 deadline of the amnesty offered by President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has named four people including former Chief of General Staff, Vice Admiral Mike Okhai Akhigbe and Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, as its negotiators.
Lagos - China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) has refused to comment on reports that it was negotiating lucrative oil blocks with the Federal Government.
This came shortly after the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) warned Chinese firms not to invest in the oil-rich region until a permanent peace deal has been achieved.
With about a week to go before the Federal Government's amnesty offer for Niger Delta militants expires, the rebel Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) said yesterday that Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka would lead three other eminent Nigerians on its behalf to dialogue with the Federal Government on its amnesty programme. But Defence Minister General Godwin Abbe swiftly rejected MEND's moves, saying the Federal Government would not adjust its October 4 amnesty deadline and would not enter into any new negotiations.
Daily Independent (Lagos)
Lagos/Abuja - Wole Soyinka was on Tuesday named by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) among those to negotiate with Abuja on disarmament, bringing credibility to the process, as well as hope of a lasting peace in the Deep South.
Yenagoa - The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) yesterday dismissed the Federal Government's amnesty as lacking integrity, even as it nominated a team of mediators to negotiate with government over the disarmament programme.
Port Harcourt - More than 200 militants yesterday at Okehi rehabilitation camp in Rivers State protested the non payment of their monthly allowances by the management of the Social Development Institute (SDI) funded by the Rivers State Government.
Abuja - A PRESIDENTIAL review meeting on the implementation of the Amnesty programme attended by all stakeholders including officials of the Amnesty panel and Governors of the affected states was convened by President Umaru Yar'Adua with Vice President Goodluck Jonathan in attendance, yesterday rose with a resolution that the October 4, 2009 deadline for all militants to surrender their arms remains unchanged.
analysis
The resolution of the Niger Delta question is prominently etched as one of the seven-point agenda of the Umaru Yar'Adua administration. However, crystallizing a solution to the Niger Delta question remains a myriad like other notable elements of the seven-point agenda such as power, wealth creation and security.
Daily Independent (Lagos)
Lagos/Warri/Asaba - Seven days to the deadline for militants to drop their arms and accept amnesty, Abuja at the weekend warned that none would be treated with mercy after October 4.