THE Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) at the weekend alleged that a serving minister (name withheld) actually pressurised it into demanding for ransom running into hundreds of millions of naira to release a British hostage, Mr. Robin Barry Hughes.
MEND released Hughes last week, citing humanitarian reasons. He had been in MEND’s custody alongside a compatriot, Mathew Maguire, since September last year.
But MEND’s spokesman, Jomo Gbomo, had alleged that highly placed government officials made overtures to them to demand for ransom, which according to him, the group rebuffed.
Already, there are strong indications that President Umaru Yar’Adua has stepped up a discreet investigation into the allegation as MEND was reported to have communicated fresh facts on the alleged instigation by the said minister to the Presidency.
However, the Federal Government has described MEND’s allegation as frivolous, saying that “they are fake MEND.” Jomo Gbomo’s allegation on Monday last week that some senior government officials made overtures to MEND to demand for ransom had raised some curiosity in government circles in Abuja throughout last week, prompting unsuccessful attempts by government officials to get further information from MEND.
Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan, who oversees issues affecting the Niger Delta, has also been reportedly briefed on the matter, the Nigerian Tribune learnt.
But in a telephone interview facilitated by a source close to the militants, a man who described himself as one of the sector commanders of MEND, said the minister in question actually sent words to them a few days to the release of Hughes.
According to him, the hostage was not released to anybody in the political class because of the minister’s overtures to them. He said: “We learnt he has been boasting that he would deal with one security man in Abuja, that is his own problem, but we can tell you that the minister (name withheld) was always on our neck to demand for ransom.
“The Nigerian nation is now a failed state because the set of persons are the ones who criminalise our struggle for a better deal in the country, yet they are the ones who turn around to make such hungry overtures.
“The nation called Nigeria has exposed itself to the world in such a manner that it no longer commands respect in the comity of nations. These are the people who call themselves leaders, who lay claim to leadership not given to them by the people but by their antics and rigging formulas.
“On our part, we are not paupers, we are not beggars who survive on ransom, and we shall not because we are in comfort; we are only fighting for the total economic emancipation of the deprived people of the Niger Delta; and to the man who is talking rubbish in Abuja, we shall not hesitate to release further details about him.
“And the reason we refused to hand the hostage to the minister is simply to spite him and not to allow him take the glory that he has succeeded; with such persons in government, the Nigerian journey is still a long distance.”
Nigerian Tribune gathered that the minister is embroiled in a cold war with a high-ranking official of the State Security Service (SSS). It was the said official that Mr. Hughes was handed over to when he was brought from the creeks.
Curiously, Hughes’s release was facilitated by president of the Ijaw Revolutionary Assembly (IRA), Cynthia Whyte, who went to the creeks to take the Briton from the militants.
Whyte confirmed to the Nigerian Tribune on the telephone that “no money was paid to any militant. I went to the zone described for me with no bag with me, only a few bottled water packs were with me.”
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Niger Delta, Mr. Godsday Orubebe, has taken a swipe at those who make the allegation that government officials made overtures to MEND for ransom.
According to the minister, the ministry was in touch with the real leadership of MEND, saying those making the allegation “are fake MEND, who do not want peace in the region.”
This is even as he challenged MEND to mention those involved. Orubebe spoke with the Nigerian Tribune on the telephone.
Telephone interview with Orubebe.
Honourable minister, congratulations on the release of the Briton; can you kindly tell me the roles played by the Ministry of Niger Delta in effecting the release of Mr. Hughes?
Orubebe: We believe that hostage-taking should not be part of the activities of youths in the Niger Delta. We believe that kidnapping should not be tolerated and forms of digressing situations to the quest for peace in the region should not be encouraged so that the region can return to its original form. We believe that we access the region directly and not through any third party arrangement. So, we know exactly what the problem and their expectations are. We also carry the mission and vision of Mr. President so that people will understand what he stands for. We went to the creeks to explain to the youth all over the creeks, the thinking of the president, his feelings and how he wants to carry all Nigerians on board to ensure that there is peace not only in the Niger Delta, but also throughout Nigeria.
Tribune: But sir, it is curious that the Briton was not released through you but through other means, was there any problem? What went wrong that the militants did not release the man to the ministry?
Orubebe: Of course, this government believes in the rule of law. People are held hostage and they are released, they have to go through the normal security checks to know what is happening. The ministry does not believe in blowing its trumpet, we believe in action, we want the people to see what is being done. I do not need to go to the papers to say these things, and that is the way are working.
Once we pave the way for the release of such hostages, we now hand over to the security people who will debrief them and do the necessary things, there is no problem anywhere. But that is not to say that the message that we are taking to the creeks and the understanding we are having with the youth is not creating panic among some persons who do not want peace in the Niger Delta. And don’t forget that there are some people that are benefiting from the crisis. But by the grace of God and the will of Mr. President, the youths will get this message and allow an enabling environment for economic activities in the Niger Delta.
Tribune: Again, was it not disturbing that MEND went to press to say that some government officials were instigating them to demand for ransom?
Orubebe: Let me also tell you that there are so many people that are using the name of MEND to do a lot of things. And if you are in touch with the real leadership of MEND, they will tell you categorically that the ministry is in touch with them and we have come to terms to bring about peace in Niger Delta. But like I explained to you before, some people are panicking that there will be peace in the region, so they want to create ripples between the ministry and MEND. So, they do all sort of things to create problems and so I can tell you the ministry and the real MEND, not the one people are faking, we are together to see that peace returns finally to the Niger Delta.
Tribune: But this particular group which released Hughes is claiming that while you were going round, you never got in touch with them.
Orubebe: Okay, that is why I am telling you that we have some people who are faking MEND because we went to the creeks and we met all the youth leaders, every youth leader and so anybody who comes to say we went and we did not see them, then that person is part of it, that is the point I am making.
Tribune: But there are reports that money changed hands, and that Mr. President is not too happy about how Hughes was released and those he was handed over to. Are you aware?
Orubebe: Now, let me tell you categorically that not one kobo was given to anybody, we have been preaching the president’s vision of creating jobs for the youths rather than giving them money, not one was given money, let them name anyone who was involved; that is why we always tell the embassies of countries whose nationals are kidnapped to at all times get in touch with the ministry so that they don’t fall victim because hostage-taking and kidnapping are criminal.