MEND Is Not Known To Have Engaged In Any Public Good nor Invested Its "profit"

MEND, Rebels With a Cause Or A Crime Gang?
Paul I. Adujie
Lawcareer2007@aol.com
New York, United States
Nigerians are killing Nigerians! This is the worst news. It is quite a nightmare.
Nothing good can possibly emanate from anything which leads Nigerians to kill other Nigerians. nothing! We must ask ourselves the question, how did we get here? And there are not clear-cut or precise answers. Is any war just? Could any act of violence, kidnapping and ransom taking be justified?
Is MEND benefiting any public good? Has MEND benefited any Niger Deltan, except MEND itself? Is the Nigerian government wrong in its all out war against MEND? What is a responsible government to do to stem the increasing pace of MEND's violence, destruction of properties and kidnapping and endless ransom demands?
MEND is not known to have engaged in any public good. MEND is not known to have invested its "profits" from hostage taking and kidnapping an...Read the full article.

[sammyduyo]

Originally Posted by Robot

MEND, Rebels With a Cause Or A Crime Gang?
Paul I. Adujie
Lawcareer2007@aol.com
New York, United States

Is MEND benefiting any public good? Has MEND benefited any Niger Deltan, except MEND itself? Is the Nigerian government wrong in its all out war against MEND? What is a responsible government to do to stem the increasing pace of MEND's violence, destruction of properties and kidnapping and endless ransom demands?
MEND is not known to have engaged in any public good. MEND is not known to have invested its "profits" from hostage taking and kidnapping [/B][/URL]

Mr. Adujie,

It is quite convenient for you to sit back in the equitable, fair, and just United States and pontificate! Do you know what Federal character is? Was Federal character in existence during the groundnut et al era that you referenced?

You would have been better served restricting your whole essay to the paragraph quote above. What about being for a one equitable, fair and just Nigeria?

[kalu31]

haba,

you cannot push a man and tell him where to fall.

MEND is a creation of the failure of the Federal Government of Nigeria to develop the Niger Delta

asking MEND to invest is a stretch, whats next? will they have their "budgets" audited and host the world cup?

[Ezioyi]

Mr. Paul,
Your article is insightful although I find in it some elements of Bias.
It is mystifying how u failed to condemn the monstrosity of the Nigerian Government and their army proxy that is responsible for more Civilian deaths and less capture or killing of the real tragets "Militants". Maybe if you had a brother or relative in the war zone, your conclusion could have been different.

Secondly, You asked what MEND has being doing with the money they get from bunkering and hostage taking, well, need I remind you that OBJ squandered 16 billion USD on electricity projects, yet no one is asking him what he did with it. Ibori is the biggest known theif in the land today but no one is asking him the hospital he built with all those booty wealth.

I think you have to create some balance in your hypothesis. If the Niger Delta is bombarded because they reduce Nigeria's wealth when actually the Nigerian masses are having no smell of that wealth, then OBJ should be Blown up for keeping us in the dark albeit injecting so much money in the power sector, Yar'dua should also be shot 2wice for defrauding Nigeria wit a 7 point agenda and electoral heist. Orji Uzor should also be hanged for spending 8yrs in Abia state without acheiving anything, Aba is all about refuse dump and Ariaria market which feeds almost all the inhabitants. All the corrupt men have to face bombardment if we are to justify the gory bath in Ijaw today.

The militants are theives/has become thieves... YES! I agree, but since 3 decades ago when they did not take arms, what has Nigerian done for them? When Saro-Wiwa came with diplomacy, what happened? was he not called a common crimminal and hanged? I Believe it is better to die honorably than to postrate at the feet of your oppressor.

The monster which the fake and unjust entity called 'Nigeria' has hatched is on its tail now seeking its own pound of flesh. Every body is now dragging what part of the country he can get, very soon there would be nothing left in the Center... a total collapse is looming

[Bunch17]

1) Must they?

2) How are you sure they have not since you are not a member of MEND?

3) Must they broadcast to all their operational structure and funding?

I am sorry Paul but this ya article does not cut it at all. Try and find something else to beat MEND with.

[I Love Nigeria]

Politicians ‘hijack’ Niger Delta crisis - As mafia pushes for Jonathan’s replacement in 2011 - 2011 is in God’s hands -VP - Police invade Odi, arrest militant leader - Tompolo’s camp destroyed, aide arrested, soldiers search for another - Ijaw youths protest
From Sylvester Idowu and Donald Ojogo - 27.05.2009
http://www.tribune.com.ng/27052009/news/news1.html

FORCES against the return of Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan for a second term in 2011 as the nation’s number two citizen re-surfaced at the weekend, using the current crisis in the Niger Delta region as grounds to stop him as President Umaru Yar’Adua’s running mate.

Anchor of the group is a prominent member of the PDP Board of Trustees from the South-South who wants a former governor from the region to take over from Jonathan. Also in the group are three former governors, a former minister as well as two serving governors; one from the North central and the other from the South-South. Both are believed to be backing the agenda secretly.

Widespread condemnation, especially from the North, as well as their inability to read President Yar’Adua’s mind, had made the anti–Jonathan forces to beat a retreat in the last three months. But the lingering clashes between the Joint Task Force (JTF) and the militants in the creeks of Delta State as well as the call for the resignation of the Vice President by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) were the subjects for discussion at a meeting of the group which was held in Abuja on Saturday at the Governor’s Lodge of a South-South state.

But Vice President Jonathan says he is not bothered about such things, stressing that only God makes man. This is even as the Ijaw National Congress (INC) has chided those behind such moves, saying they are responsible for the current crisis in the region.“Although, the gathering was meant to be an informal one at the initial stage to appraise the situation in the creeks, the momentum it attained later was beyond a mere appraisal of the Niger Delta crisis,” an impeccable source told the Nigerian Tribune.

“Politicians cannot change at all; they capitalise on every opportunity to discuss anything under the sun; could you believe that when we first went into the house, the issue was how the crisis could be better managed than the military option so that it does not spread to other areas of the region.“But somehow, somewhere along the line, late into the evening, some other big men started coming in and the topic changed suddenly from how to solve a problem to 2011 scheming, and that was how some people were eased out of the meeting.”

The meeting, which was said to have lasted for over three hours, the source said, centred on the need for the ruling party to take a careful look at the issue of who would be Yar’Adua’s running mate in the 2011 presidential election.“Some people talk as if the position of vice president or even the president is their birthright, it is not at all. As I told you some months back, anybody can show interest in the position; that is the beauty of the system.

But to the President of the INC, Dr. Atuboyedia Obianime, the nation has a duty to stop such people from returning to power through foul means.“It is not a new thing to hear all these, but the position of the INC is that Nigerians know those who propped up the militant camps and various cult groups in the region; these are people who should by now be in jail if the nation was serious about its anti-corruption crusade; that they still parade the corridors of power, posturing as leaders, which they are not, is the unfortunate thing, this is the time for Nigerians to ‘shine their eyes’ and disallow these criminals to return to power again,” he said.

“One of the greatest things former President Obasanjo has done to the nation is that he retired with this set of pretenders who were the major sponsors, beneficiaries and patrons of militants in the region. Prior to 2003, there were no militant camps in the region, but because of their selfish political ambitions which they failed to realise along the line, they introduced political criminality into the system, set one group against another and got us entangled in this mess.

“As far as INC is concerned, we are at home with Jonathan because the seeds of this crisis had been sown by the same people calling for his replacement; to say the least, the Niger Delta crisis goes beyond Jonathan, they should not forget what happened to his private residence in 2007 before they plan their evil,” Obianime said on the telephone. A credible source in Abuja last night, confirmed to the Nigerian Tribune that Dr. Goodluck Jonathan was not unaware of such moves, saying, however, that 2011 was not one of his priorities.

“It is not as if he is not aware that some people want to be in his position in 2011; it is their right but who told them that the man is disturbed, he is not at all; the truth of the matter is that 2011 is not part of his top priorities for now; those who want the job should equally know that only God makes a man, whatever capacity he will serve this nation subsequently is in the hands of God and Mr. President,” he said.

Meanwhile, ten years after, Odi returned to the news again on Tuesday as the police engaged suspected militants in a shootout in the Bayelsa town. Militant leader, Keniwonimo Niweigha was arrested in the process. It could not be confirmed at press time if the arrest was in connection with reports that wanted MEND leader, Government Ekpemukpolo was in Odi. In the heavy shootout, reports had it that many militants sustained injuries as they were taken by surprise.

Odi was ravaged by soldiers in 1999, following the murder of some police officers, a development which led to the arrest and detention of Ken as the militant leader is fondly called.

Before the latest development, Ken had enjoyed a chummy relationship with the Bayelsa State government having served as the coordinator of the state security outfit, Bayelsa Volunteers, in his native Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government area. All efforts to reach the JTF spokesman, Col. Rabe Abubakar, were not successful as his lines were busy at the time of filing this report.

Also, operatives of the JTF discovered and destroyed the wanted Tompolo’s observation Camp 2 mounted on a houseboat hidden inside a dredged creek in between Okerenkoko and Jones Creek Village in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State.

Nigerian Tribune learnt on Tuesday night that crack detectives from the special security outfit discovered the observation Camp 2 and called for reinforcement of heavily armed soldiers to invade and destroy the operational boat. “We discovered, in continuation of our Search and Rescue operations, and destroyed Tompolo’s militants observation Camp 2 with a houseboat hidden inside a dredged creek in between Okerenkoko and Jones Creek Village,” a security source told the Nigerian Tribune.

It was gathered that the fleeing militants used the Camp 2 as emergency treatment area for some of their colleagues that sustained bullet wounds during the onslaught by the military.“It was glaring that, judging from spots of blood stains dotting everything found in the camp, it must have been used as emergency treatment area for wounded militants,” the source added.

Coordinator of Joint Media Campaign Centre of JTF, Colonel Rabe Abubakar, confirmed the development, noting that the special security outfit was determined to destroy all vestiges of militancy in the region. He debunked the widespread insinuation that operatives of the JTF killed and burnt civilian houses in the operation and challenged one Obodo Bello and “his MEND collaborators to justify their claims of killing civilians.

“We are now putting it straight to Bello that he, Tompolo and other miscreants are the ones behind sensational campaigns against JTF since such will open more channels of illegal wealth for them,” he added.

Colonel Abubakar recalled the Red Cross Society, Delta State Chapter has confirmed that no civilian houses were bombed in the course of JTF search and rescue operations in the area. Also on Tuesday, crack undercover agents were deployed in Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State in search of an aide of Tompolo, Kingsley Odiete, alias Opuye, in connection with last Monday’s attack on Chevron’s crude oil pipeline at Abiteye.

Security sources told the Nigerian Tribune that the men in plain clothes were dispatched to the Ijaw communities believing that Opuye might still be around the area and might perpetrate another sabotage if not caged on time. “We have deployed our undercover agents to comb that area, particularly the communities around Abiteye to fish out that small fry that has caused the nation the loss of 200,000 barrels a day because of the sabotage of Chevron’s crude oil pipeline. We have to cage him on time before he commits another act of sabotage in the area,” he said.

Nigerian Tribune learnt that more troops were also deployed in Abiteye to beef up the security already put in place around Chevron Flow Station to prevent the remnants of militants in the area from having access to the facility as well as cover more pipelines.

Commander of the JTF, Major General Sarki Bello, said his men were closing in on Odiete, adding “we are on his trail.” In another development, a combined team of mobile policemen and soldiers on Tuesday dispersed some Ijaw youths that staged a peaceful protest in Warri and its environs against the continuing military operation in Gbaramatu Kingdom.

The placard-carrying youths with a red cloth wrapped round their heads, something associated with militants in the creeks, went round the major roads singing anti-government songs. Some of the placards read: “Stop shelling our communities,” “Our women and children are dying in the creeks,” “Stop this madness in Ijaw communities” and “If you kill all of us who will you govern.”

The mobile policemen and soldiers, who were said to be acting on intelligence report that a prominent Ijaw leader in the town sponsored the protest, blocked and dispersed the youth on Effurun-Warri Road by Airport junction. Though the youth defied the initial warning to discontinue their protest, they dispersed when the mobile policemen shot canisters of tear gas into their midst.


Socio-economic activities were paralysed around the area as owners hurriedly closed their shops while security men at nearby banks took strategic positions.

[Solid]

Originally Posted by kalu31

haba,

you cannot push a man and tell him where to fall.

MEND is a creation of the failure of the Federal Government of Nigeria to develop the Niger Delta

asking MEND to invest is a stretch, whats next? will they have their "budgets" audited and host the world cup?

----------------

MEND is simply behaving like its grandfather the Nigerian Military Machine! Nigerian soldiers and their killer training introduced the following 'demons' into our polity. Since 1966, the monster machine has not been stopped!

1. Disrespect for human life.

2. Stealing with VIOLENCE

3. Supposed "Federal Character" but in actuality its "HAUSA/FULANI" character. No other minority ethnic group joins the character club.

4. Bunkering is military personnel's part-time full job.

5. Breakdown of educational systems

6. Breakdown of the judiciary systems.

7. Glorification of laziness

8. Others......

When righteousness, truth, honesty and fairness is missing in leadership / governance, the seeds of violence is wholesomely cultivated. MEND is one of those SEEDS!

Thanks,

SOLID

[AfricaWest1]

ILN,

Your ignoring issues of justice, fairplay and equity in your various write ups about your one Nigeria is really alarming. Or, is it a case of picking on the weak because you do not have the balls to critique the 'powerfully' corrupt.

Whichever it is, I am of the view that you should take a step back and broaden your perspective on humanity as represented in Africa and Nigeria.

The brothers and sisters being murdered in Ijawland/ND, in your name and my name are not the cause of the deadly vices that afflict Nigeria. These people breathe the air we breathe, they share the same dreams for their loved ones that you and I share for ours, they long for worthwhile opportunities and aspire to be the best they can be, in the same way that you and I do. It is, therefore, dangerously simplistic to called them criminals! By the way, what exactly is criminality within the context of Nigeria?

In the shoes of these so called 'criminals', with the lack of opportunities to fulfill their true potentials, are you sure you will fare any better? The deep rooted issues linked to economic/political/social structure of Nigeria has led to this farce, where the Nigerian army continues to bomb, intimidate and murder its own people. Can anyone really trust the Nigeria army with a surgical military operation? The bunch of incompetents are no better than a bunch of uncultured savages.

AW.

[I Love Nigeria]

http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/paul-adujie/no-tears-for-looters.html

No Tears for Looters!
Written by Paul Adujie
Sunday, 04 March 2007
Lawcareer2007@aol.com
New York, United States

Tears for looters, are wasted tears! Cries and tears for looters are, as such, wasted tears and cries! We should not tear, or cry for looters of our national wealth! Those who looted our patrimony, the equivalents of our life’s savings for several generations! We should be impatient with looters. We should agonize and be sad, for those who suffer as a result of the actions of looters. We should be adamant and vehement hot-pursuit, of looters’ ends, even, apocalyptic ends!

I cry for my beloved country Nigeria, I cry for missed opportunities for development, advancement and greatness! But I never, ever cry for looters and, I never cry for those responsible for the ruination of Nigeria. I never cry for those who cause many Nigerians to mass migrate from Nigeria. We must not cry or shed tears for looters!

But if any Nigerian must shed tears, such precious tears must be reserved for the deserving average Nigerian pretty girl, pretty girls with college education, who are now in Italy or France, engaged in the demoralizing indignity of prostitution or sex trade, in order to keep body and soul together, due to unemployment and economic hardships and desperations that have permeated Nigeria for decades!

By all accounts and by all measures, Nigeria is a country that is brimming and has always brimmed with abundant human, natural, and material-mineral resources. Sadly, it has been the case, that these abundances have not had positive benefits and desirable impacts on citizens of Nigeria.

Corruption has been unanimously diagnosed as the cause of our abject poverty! Nigerians have been described as poorer than field mice or rats, all this, astoundingly, in the midst of acknowledged abundance! While some Nigerian public officials corruptly acquire 172 houses or engage in cosmetic-plastic surgery, some other Nigerians have nothing to eat!

To worry about those who plunder and pillage Nigeria of abundant resources is to worry about our national enemies! Why would we lose a night sleep over the ones who have no love lost for us? Why would we worry about our enemies who do not care whether we are alive or dead? How come we are not worried or crying about those who cause unemployment and hunger amongst our populace?

I stay awake and cry for the unemployed persons in Nigeria. I cry and weep, when life’s hopes are snuffed out by fitfully power generation. I weep for every Nigerian who has die or may yet die, as a result of poverty of health facilities and poverty of equipment and poverty of pharmaceuticals!

I weep, and cry tears of agony and sorrow, when I learn of Nigerians being denigrated as they besiege embassies in Nigeria, in efforts to migrate out of the economic desperations, hardships and hopelessness that have pervaded our land for too long.

I weep and drench myself in tears, when I read of the extraordinary indignities that Nigerians are subjected to in their everyday lives in our homeland.

I cry, I tear and I weep some more, as I read that our highways and byways, have become death-traps due to the fact that these highways and byways have been subjected to wanton abandonment and neglect, for almost twenty years.

And yes! I do not weep for looters, I do not waste my tears on those who have robbed Nigeria blind and have inflicted bodily and psychological harm on Nigerians one and all!

I cry and weep and bawl, when I learn of the immeasurable, and yet, needless sufferings and hardships that are endured by countless Nigerians in their daily lives, all these as a result of unbridled corruption in both our public and private sectors!

I want looters tried fairly and jailed and punished for all the immeasurable harm done to Nigeria by them! I want those who plunder and pillage Nigeria of public wealth and resources, punished perfectly and imperfectly, where perfect punishment my get in the way of getting a pound of flesh from those enemies of our nation!

All Nigerians must ask why Nigerians and Nigeria are maligned, denigrated and lampooned by some Nigerians and non-Nigerians regarding corruption, spam, advance fee fraud, or 419? And Nigerians must as why Transparency International and CNN routinely smear our national and international image with unsavory opinions about Nigerians and Nigeria. Nigerians must further ask, what we must do about it, to remove ourselves from unpalatable lists at Transparency International and CNN bashing fests!

Nigeria must reject and repudiate pariah nation status. And the first step in that direction is to punish perfectly, where feasible, and then, punish even imperfectly! Those, who besmirch Nigeria’s good name, image and collective reputation; Nigeria must learn to be singularly focused in these endeavors, as Singapore would and regularly does, when it comes to enforcing its laws! Singapore gives no hoots to Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the United Nations, pleas from Nigeria or anyone else, when Singapore is determined to enforce its laws! It worries not and about who is looking in, or who is complaining or appealing to public galleries about the emotional sentiments of clemency pleas! Singapore punished an American Michael Fay, for vandalizing a car, Singapore similarly meted the ultimate in supreme punishment to Iwuchukwu Amara Tochii, a Nigerian accused of narcotics smuggling. Despite, appeals for clemency, and despite fine and very good politicking internationally to save our Nigerian brethren. Singapore enforced it laws!

Nigeria must learn to enforce Nigerian laws against Nigerians and non-Nigerians and worry, less about criticisms, but, instead worry more about the contemplated public objective, for example, of ridding Nigeria of corruption and its perpetrators! The aims and objectives of laws, of statutes, and our constitution, should not be detracted by public criticisms of our enforcements. Those who criticize crimes such as corruption, those who criticize lawlessness, are sadly, the same folks, who would be quick to criticize vigorous enforcement techniques and sundry enforcement methods! Nigeria must focus on eliminating crimes and lawlessness, even if that attracts the ire of those who think and expect Nigeria to only eliminate crimes and criminals who perpetrate crimes, only and only when the conditions are perfect! There is no perfect country that we know of, and the job at hand, eliminating crimes and criminals, must proceed according to plans!

I want those who are corrupt, and those who make the bulk of Nigerians suffer, punished, punished, because of, and, through their egregiously corrupt misconducts, and bad ways, have shown that they do not give a hoot about majority of Nigerians, I want such corrupt Nigerians who care-less, about the lives, the feelings, the worries and the aspirations of us, the average Nigerians, to receive their just deserts, as severest of punishments and consequences for causing such great pains and psychological scars and loss of self-esteem and pride in our Nigerian-ness, to be punished perfectly where possible, and be punished by every means necessary, where perfection is not possible in efforts to punish them for the ruinations that their actions have caused Nigerians and Nigeria.

Cry, my beloved country! I cry for Nigerians who suffer deprivations, hardships and desperations borne out of hopelessness. I weep over Nigeria’s arrested development. I bawl over Nigeria’s stunted economic, political and cultural growth. I sob, yes, I sob inconsolably, when I think of the many what could have been, in the lives of Nigerians who die young, Nigerians who die avoidably and needlessly, all because of corruption.

I have no tears for looters, I have no tears for those who pillage and plunder Nigeria, I have no tears to those who have cause my country to be on her knees, I shed no tears for those who compel Nigeria to become the laughing stock among nations and the butt of all dinner jokes! I have no tears for those who have caused Nigeria to be tagged a sleeping giant! I have no tears for those who have delayed Nigeria’s destined rise and leadership of Africa and peoples of African descent. No tears for looters. No tears for looters. No!

I cry over Nigeria’s missed opportunities at development, advancement and greatness.

[olubadan]

The military action is long over due... How do you justify all these atrocities committed by these criminal gangs in the name of justices...? Is killings, torturing, kidnapping and subjecting people to traumatic ordeal part of the struggle. It is common knowledge that the Nigerian government have failed not only the Niger-delta but all Nigerian or which part of the country is better off with all the wealth Nigeria state claim to have. The crisis in the Niger-delta is a collective failure of the Nigerian state and the Niger-delta leaders.
Acknowledging these criminals by calling themselves freedom fighters is doing disservice to the real struggle of the Niger-delta people; afterall there are unconfirmed allegations going about in the newspapers that the King of Gbaramatu and the local government chairman of that local area are brothers to the wanted Mend militant leader, same goes for some of this so-called Niger-delta Militant leaders who have their families dining and wining with the state.

My question, what have they done in their capacity for their people...... History has shown us too be wary of rebel fighters who tend to be worse than the government they want to change.

[eire]

Originally Posted by Robot

MEND is not known to have engaged in any public good. MEND is not known to have invested its "profits" from hostage taking and kidnapping and ransom demands to any public advantage for anyone in the Niger Delta. MEND appears simply self-interested and self-absorbed political renegades. MEND does not run any schools, hospitals or medical clinics. MEND has no after school programs, or day care. MEND, simply put, is guilty of the same offences of neglect, which MEND accuses the Nigerian government. [/B][/URL]

So in your eyes they may not have...but they are the only group that is seen to be taking up arms with the Nigerian Government over double standards, oil corruption, mis-allocation and of course the hausa/fulani parasite up north...

if anyone deserve to be revolted against and fought in an outright wars its the nigerian government. If I see 1 million people figting on the street of Niger Delta I am going there.

[Shugaban Kasa]

The only problem we have in this country is tribalism (Ethnicity), because that is the only reason why the poor masses still cannot form a formidable opposition to collectively counter bad governance. Our dubious leaders know it hence anytime they face any form of opposition they start playing the ethnic card, to gain the sympathy of their kinsmen.

Perusing through some of the comments above I see the same sentiments been played out. How can any right thinking person hold brief for common criminals? With the amount of arms recovered from those millitants you would realise that this is more than a small group of miscreants. These are very organized terrrorist groups. And for all those defending them, lets see if one of their relatives get kidnapped and maimed by there would still be singing the same song.

We all know that the government has failed in its obligations to the people of the region in the past, but so far tremendous progress is been made to reverse the trend. in the 2009 budget of about 3 trillion naira, 1.5trillion naira was allocated to the Niger Delta (i.e half the entire budget). At least that goes to show that things would soon get better. What the people of Niger Delta should do is that as they keep convassing for more control of their resources, they should also hold their immediate leaders accountable , to ensure that all that gets to them is utilized appropriately. The truth be told, the political leaders of the region are the real problem of the region. The embezzle monies meant for the region. Then grease the palms of the millitant leaders and in the end nothing gets done for the ordinary men and women of the region.

We all suffer the consequences of bad governance. Irrespective of tribe. A poor man is a poor man, whether he is ibo, yoruba or hausa. Because Minister A, or B is from my village doesn`t in anyway insulate me from feeling the pain of bad governance, neither does that put food on my table. We all are untied in our suffering and we have a common enemy as such we should stop allowing our leaders to use us against each other.

In as much as I would prefer the groups like MEND and so on find other alternatives to settle their squabbles with the states and federal governments, I do not think if it the 'standard practice' for them to do the following.

How do you justify all these atrocities committed by these criminal gangs in the name of justices...? Is killings, torturing, kidnapping and subjecting people to traumatic ordeal part of the struggle.

Hostages do not USUALLY complain of or suffer from being rough-handled or tortured under their captives. They are usually used as bargaining chips to get some of their demands met while discouraging the 'expatriates' from being seen as part and parcel of colluding with the federal/state government in those neglected communities. Hostages are usually released unharmed. Torturing hostages is not one of the operative goals of MEND, but to prevent the smooth production of oil as the only resource getting the federal/state government attention at the expense of Nigeria's progress.

Vandalism(such as blowing up gas turbines) may be a part of the MO for the Niger Delta militants to disrupt the source of income solely relied on by a country like Nigeria, but not water boarding torturing or maiming techniques and the likes.

The only drawback from the idea of groups such as MEND, it the establishment of legitimacy and a voice of credibility. Most of these groups often come across as double agents with ambivalent objectives. One is not often sure if they are working for the people or against the people in a corrupt, opportunistic society such as Nigeria.

It is my wish that in the future, such militant groups and others like them would metamorphose into well groomed conglomerates, stemming from well-established legitimate military/police collages around the Southern parts of Nigeria to counter-act the brutish agenda of the predominantly Northern military masquerading around in the guise of some "JTF". There is nothing 'joint' about the JTF...it is a Northern military force. A more effective unified military presence in the Southern part of Nigeria would make any dictator of Nigeria, and even southern governors think twice about spear-heading any form of religious or economic crimes against humanity. I would gladly sign up then to serve my country in that capacity.

Perhaps this may be the beginning of such a dream.....a decentralized army/police force. One of the keys to solving Nigeria's problems. I am hopeful.

I agree, MEND has not been known to have engaged in any public good nor has it invested it's profit(if any) in the general good of the causes they claim to promote. They can be trained to so so with our support. Otherwise, we remain slaves to the Northern parts of Nigeria with the reign of terror the "JTF" stands for. If the "JTF" does have a legitimate legacy of upholding the interest of any public good, I see no reason to blame guerrilla forces like MEND and the likes either.

The Southern part of Nigeria needs it's own military school. It would be far more superior to the bunch of illiterates masquerading as cadets of the so-called "JTF" terrorizing Nigeria with it's uncouth Arogundade thugs!

[I Love Nigeria]

NIGER DELTA CRISIS: JTF unmasks Tompolo’s backers - Politicians, Ijaw leaders, traditional rulers, oil companies staff implicated -Documents in Yar’Adua’s possession -JTF averts attack on Shell facility, arrests 2 suspected militants

From Taiwo Adisa, Bolaji Ogundele and Sylvester Idowu - 02.06.2009
http://www.tribune.com.ng/02062009/news/news1.html

A raid by the Joint Task Force (JTF) on the residence of militant leader, Government Ekpomupolo, (alias Tompolo) has led to the discovery of incriminating documents which unveiled the backers of the militant and the series of illegal bunkering activities of his group.


Government sources told the Nigerian Tribune on Monday in Abuja that documents detailing illegal bunkering activities and names of political backers of the militant leader are now in the possession of the government.


A source said that the JTF had handed over to President Umaru Yar’Adua, the documents containing names of some of the political backers of the militants, minutes of meetings held with leaders of the group, account details and details of money paid into accounts used for illegal bunkering activities.


It was gathered that the JTF also discovered details of the proceeds of illegal bunkering the group paid to some prominent Niger Delta leaders, politicians and traditional rulers.


The JTF is said to have also uncovered names and addresses of foreign contacts and documentation of arms purchases as well as the top Nigerians who served as middlemen.


Sources also informed the Nigerian Tribune that the JTF had also discovered a document stating details of the dates and details of the militants’ attacks on oil platforms, details of the planning of the attacks, names of those who led the attacks on oil facilities as well as insiders in the companies who provided them information.


It was equally gathered that some documents detailing names of countries where stolen oil was shipped to and how much was made from the transactions were also recovered.


A source further said that names of the beneficiaries of the stolen crude oil were also contained in one of the documents found by the soldiers.


Another source further said that the JTF also recovered a document detailing attempts by the militant leader (Tompolo) to acquire gunships, bombs, rocket-launchers and other military assault equipment from one East European country.


Said another source: “Several bank accounts in which ‘protection money’ was paid to the militants by top government officials in Niger Delta were also recovered, and there were details of meetings held between militants and politicians and minutes of what transpired at such meetings.”


The Nigerian Tribune had reported last week that some politicians were being fingered in the militants’ operations in the Niger Delta.


Meanwhile, an attempted pipeline vandalism by suspected militants on a Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) platform was on Monday averted by men of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) at Awoba in Rivers State.


Confirming the incident in a statement on Monday, Coordinator of the Joint Media Campaign Centre, Colonel Rabe Abubakar, disclosed that the militants were about to tamper with the facility when they sighted men of the JTF on routine patrol and escaped.


“They ran away on sighting men of the task force and no arrest was made. The general situation of the area is being monitored closely to avoid similar occurrences in the future,” he added.


The JTF also said it had arrested two men suspected to be militants at Torugbene in Benesede, while conducting a cordon and search operation.


Commenting on the arrest, Colonel Abubakar stated that the suspects were arrested after being found in possession of an AK-47 rifle with one round of 7.62mm ammunition, with registration number XQ2354.


He added that investigation was still going on and that the suspects were assisting the JTF with information on how they came about the weapon and ammunition.


The names of the suspects were given as John Seikeke and Boloma Atokudu.

[Bunch17]

Originally Posted by I Love Nigeria

Commenting on the arrest, Colonel Abubakar stated that the suspects were arrested after being found in possession of an AK-47 rifle with one round of 7.62mm ammunition, with registration number XQ2354.

One round? One round? one bullet?

Can the serving and ex military villagers please clear this up.
Thanking you in advance.

[felix]

Originally Posted by olubadan

The military action is long over due... How do you justify all these atrocities committed by these criminal gangs in the name of justices...? bla....bla...bla...blaaa...blaaaa The crisis in the Niger-delta is a collective failure of the Nigerian state and the Niger-delta leaders...blaa ....blaaa...blaaaa....blaaaa..buaaai
Acknowledging these criminals by calling themselves freedom fighters is doing disservice to the real struggle of the Niger-delta people;blaaa...blaaaa....blaaaa...blaaaa..buaaai

My question, what have they done in their capacity for their people...... History has shown us too be wary of rebel fighters who tend to be worse than the government they want to change.

That the so-called Niger-Deltan "leaders" have not done much for their people is not enough reason for the federal government to purposely pauperise that area! That Nigeria needs their oil to develope Lagos and Abuja is not good enough reason for folks in that area to keep quiet and allow "foreign" oil companies to loot their resorces with diabolical precision! That a people whose resources have been looted contineously for decades decided to rise up against oppression and call for fairness is also not a good excuse for internet merceneries to wrechlessly write and defend essays supporting a wayward federal army to unleash a genocidal mission on "her people"! These points are so clear , and I am VERY SURE will be made by everybody here if it was his immediate community that is being targeted and annihilated by an oil thirsty caliphate. That we have to vigourously re-state these truths as we try to hammer reason down the thick skull of weird patriots speaks volume about the state of nationalism in a dieing fake state like Nigeria..