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

10/25/2009

Leadership (Abuja) New York/Abuja - There are strong indications that the United Nations is disappointed over its non-inclusion in the amnesty deal by the Federal Government of Nigeria with Niger Delta militants. Sources within the organisation cautioned that such sidelining could be counter-productive for the country.

10/23/2009

Lagos - The Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC) has commenced the repairs of the affected part of the Atlas Cove that was vandalised by militants in Lagos three months ago, the spokesman of PPMC said. Ralph Ugwu told our correspondent in Lagos that the pipelines would be repaired on time.He said the company's engineers have gained access to the damaged lines and has carried out preliminary inspections to ascertain the extent of damage.

10/23/2009

Yenagoa - A group of repentant militant leaders has issued a two-week ultimatum to the federal government, warning that they may return to the creeks, if the induced division among the ranks of repentant militants by the Bayelsa State government was not stopped.

10/23/2009

interview Benin City - Former Head of Department at the University of Benin (UNIBEN) and Professor of English and Literature, Professor Tony Afejuku is a household name in the Niger Delta struggle. In this interview, the blunt defender of the rights of his Itsekiri people, critic of the President Umaru Yar'Adua policies in the Niger Delta and controversial commentator on contemporary issues, says the amnesty programme of the Federal Government will fail.

10/23/2009

A group, United Niger Delta Energy Development Security Strategy (UNDEDSS), has said that President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, and team of Nigerians nominated by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, may soon commence talks on peace and development in the region".

10/23/2009

opinion Prince Tonye Princewill is a personable young man that has the ability to charm people even when he is telling them bitter truths, as all other members of President Umoru YarAdua's Niger Delta Technical Committee, on which he served, learnt...sometimes to their chagrin...

10/22/2009

Lagos - Former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr. Timi Alaibe, has been appointed Special Adviser to President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua on Niger Delta. His appointment was made public yesterday in a statement by the Presidential Spokesman, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi.

10/22/2009

Lagos - Some weeks ago, former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr. Timi Alaibe, was neck-deep in talks with militants, traversing the length and breadth of the creeks in order to convince them to lay down arms.

10/22/2009

analysis Nairobi - Nigeria's President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua has numerous things going his way. Fighters who threatened to cripple Nigeria's oil production are marching out of the Niger Delta creeks in their thousands. Symbolic white handkerchiefs in their hands, the former militants are surrendering their rifles, bazookas and ammunition.

10/21/2009

London - Peace is being restored in the Niger Delta oil producing region where attacks by militants have led to a sharp fall in exports, Nigeria's oil Minister, Dr Rilwan Lukman said yesterday. "Peace is coming back in the oil producing areas," Lukman said during an oil conference in London sponsored by the International Herald Tribune. "I am confident (the peace process) is in a good way and I hope it will hold and is implemented properly."