Factional members of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has given both the police and the River State government a two-week ultimatum to produce one of their members allegedly arrested at the wake of a fresh violence in the state last year.
Though some members of the group believe that the said member identified as Frederick Ogiesoba may have been killed when soldiers raided the militants stronghold in Ekeremor, a small fishing community in Bayelsa State, a member of the group who identified himself simply as Ebisimo told THISDAY at Bomadi water-side, Delta State that Frederick was taken away along with several others by soldiers attached to the Joint Task Force (JTF).
Ebisimo alleged that the reason why some of them are still in the struggle is the senseless killing of their members by the JTF.
“Some of us cannot go back to the group in Ekeremor because of lack of trust among members. Some see us as a traitor while the soldiers see us as members of the militants. This is the reason why we see ourselves as factional members of MEND,” he added.
He stated further that escaped from their base in Ekeremo in 2004 to avoid being assassinated following the alleged man hunt for about 10 of them who were alleged to have secretly given JTF information about their activities and their where about.
He explained that they escaped and later settled in Port Harcourt , River State.
He dismissed the claimed by members of MEND that members are mainly from Bayelsa and Rivers State . He added that a good number of those in the struggle are from other parts of the country.
“Let me tell you, I am from Delta State while Frederick is from Edo State and was at attending a meeting where he had gone to represent his State before they were raided by JTF. The struggle is for those who believe that the ruling class has high jack the wealth of the nation for themselves and members of their families” he added.