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

11/18/2009

Port Harcourt - Despites its initial position and rejection, the Federal Government has met with the Aaron team proposed by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND. MEND spokesman, Jomo Gbomo who disclosed this revealed that the meeting took place on Saturday, November 14, 2009 in Abuja .

11/17/2009

Lagos - Lagos state government yesterday presented keys of a 3-bedroom flat to Mrs. Olubunmi Oluseyi Awe, widow of the late naval officer, CommanderJoshua A.K. Awe, who was slain when some militants of the Movement forthe Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) attacked the Atlas Cove jetty in June.

11/16/2009

The Movement for Emancipation of the Niger-Delta has dismissed the government's amnesty programme as a propaganda exercise aimed at hoodwinking companies to return to the Niger Delta and pump production back up while the militant threat persists. In an emailed communique to journalists Mend said it will resume attacks against the oil industry at the expiration of the cease-fire on 15 October.

11/16/2009

Port Harcourt - After a meeting between President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua and the "Aaron Team" picked by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) to represent it in talks with the Federal Government took place, the militant group has for the first time spoken well of the authorities.

11/15/2009

Abuja - President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua yesterday met with Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, former Chief of General Staff, Vice-Admiral Mike Akhigbe (rtd), and leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, (MEND), Mr. Henry Okah as he consolidates his administration's post-amnesty programme for the Niger Delta. The meeting held at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, also had Architect Denzi Amagbe Kentebe in attendance.

11/15/2009

Lagos - President Umaru Yar'Adua overruled, yesterday, his defence minister, Major General Godwin Abbe and dialogued with the Aaron team which was set up two months ago by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) on the way out of the crisis in the region.

11/14/2009

- Since the November 3 Meeting of the Ex-militant leaders and the Presidential Panel on Amnesty at Abuja where the former declared they were tired of meetings, there's worry that things may snap between the Federal Government and the boys if the post-amnesty process was not handled carefully, particularly as the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger-Delta (MEND) was not in support of the on-going arrangement. Under the leadership of the erstwhile "General Officer Commanding" (GOC) of the Niger-Delta militants, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, the ex-militants congregated at Effurun in Delta State on Tuesday to express themselves.

11/12/2009

Barely a month after the Federal Government sealed an amnesty deal to end the protracted violence and other criminal activity in the Niger Delta region of the country, an apparent threat of resumption of violence against the state was made by one of the principal beneficiaries of the package, Mr Henry Okah.

11/12/2009

Lagos - The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) announced resumption of crude oil production at its 115,000 barrels per day (bpd) East Area (EA) oilfield. The oilfield was shut down in 2006 following a series of attacks on the facility and abduction of oil workers, but was reopened in July this year.

11/09/2009