Nigeria’s main militant group has condemned what it called attacks against Christians and their places of worships in the northern part of the country and also distanced itself from a group claiming to represent it in negotiation with the Federal Government.
“The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) deplores the wanton destruction of life and places of Christian worship that is ongoing in the Northern part of Nigeria by Islamic fundamentalists.” MEND said in an email to Thetimesofnigeria.com
The statement continued: “MEND also condemns as well the executions by government forces of those men who surrendered.
“Had such a senseless attack occurred in the Niger Delta region, the military machinery would have been called upon to sack and occupy whole communities after indiscriminate aerial bombings.
“It is for Northern Nigeria that the military JTF terrorizing the Niger Delta region should expend its energy, resources, propaganda and operations because the JTF shares a similar mode of operation and language with the Islamic terrorists.
“The threat in Nigeria as we reiterated before does not come from militant freedom fighters who want a better environment and equity for oil bearing communities, but from corrupt leadership, tribalism, Islamic fundamentalist terrorists, lack of federal character in political postings, unfair location of industry, institutions and amenities.
“We use this opportunity to deny the statements from certain groups who we have no affiliation with that claim a team has been chosen to negotiate with the government.
“Consultations is on going between Henry Okah and various camps and because our demands are not complex, the Aaron team will be limited to only two persons to avoid the semblance of a troupe of performers going to a circus.” The statement was signed by Jomo Gbomo.