“THE people of the Niger Delta are sick of unfulfilled promises and can wait no longer. If (President Umaru Musa) Yar’Adua does not act decisively and speedily, Nigerians should brace up for a full-scale war, starting in the Niger Delta.”
With these terse words, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) responded to the olive branch waved by President Yar’Adua after he was sworn in last Tuesday.
MEND’s response, which came barely 24 hours after Yar’Adua’s call for dialogue, said the movement was willing and ready to rein in its militants provided the Federal Government would demonstrate “genuine willingness” to enter into dialogue to end the intractable crises in the region.
“This government could demonstrate its goodwill by releasing all the Niger Delta indigenes detained by the President Olusegun Obasanjo administration, while MEND, on its part would release all the hostages its men had kidnapped when they stormed a Chevron oil facility in Bayelsa State on May 1,” the group said.
MEND’s spokesperson, Jomo Gbomo, in a reaction to President Yar’Adua appeal, said it would take more than a verbal appeal for the militants to halt their attacks against the oil industry in the Niger Delta, hence the call for an immediate process of negotiations that would involve an unbiased third party.
He declared: “Only time will tell if he (Yar’Adua) is not just another politician. We are tired of words and plans. Urgent action is required to stem rising militancy in the Delta. The most important requirement of the Niger Delta people is justice. Genuine negotiations towards a just resolution is sufficient hope for the people of the Delta.”
MEND said government must examine the conditions which prompted the people of the Niger Delta to accept once again to be part of Nigeria and “restore without delay, all terms of the contract which brought us into Nigeria.”
Gbomo called on government to release Asari Dokubo and several other Niger Delta indigenes being held without trial. His words: “The government should demonstrate its willingness to dialogue by releasing all unjustly imprisoned by the Obasanjo regime.”
He continued: “The problem in the Niger Delta is like a malignant tumour. It does not stop growing. The rate at which the government will remedy the situation in the Delta will determine the eventual success in halting the unrest peacefully.”
MEND said it was worried about the pervasive corruption in the country, as well as in the Niger Delta. Most importantly, it said, President Yar’ Adua has promised to respect the rule of law. The group added: “We watch like everyone else to see how the new government intends to excise this cancer.”
The group condemned the decision of a Court of Appeal stopping Shell from paying N197 billion to Ijaw as compensation, which it said was for oil spillage from Shell.
He said: “the Appeal Court ruling in favour of Shell is a part of this process. The eventual outcome will determine our future actions regarding this demand for compensation.”
MEND said that in order to show its goodwill, “the hostages in our custody will be released today or tomorrow at the latest.”
The hostages are John Stapleton (U.S.), Ignazio Gugliotta (Italy), Alfonso Franza (Italy), Raffaele Pascariello (Italy), Mario Celentano (Italy) and Jurica Ruic (Croatia).