A faction of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) weekend faulted the claims by some politicians in Bayelsa State that the Economic and Finacial Crime Commissions (EFCC) was politically motivated to investigate the alleged diversion of over N500 million by some officials of the state government. It said such claims were misplaced and the agency should not be intimidated.
The MEND also expressed support for Acting President Goodluck Jonathan over what they termed a clear show of “integrity and commitment” in steering the ship of state in the absence of ailing President Umaru Yar’Adua.
In a statement signed by one Tamuno-Bele Augustine,they faulted the claims of ex-militant leader, Africa Ukparaosia, that the EFCC were after the Bayelsa State governor, Timipre Sylva, for political reasons and asked those involved to mind their utterances.
It said no genuine ex-fighter of MEND was ready to go back to the creeks because that their struggle was for the “development of the region and not in defense of those misusing public funds meant for the development of the region.”
The statement said in part: “Let me be categorical that no MEND leader in Bayelsa State has received a kobo from anybody. The public should not be deceived by General Africa. How many of MEND ex-fighters are building houses or have enough to rent an apartment in the state capital?”
The group claimed that General Africa was being “sponsored by unrecognised politicians to say all sorts of things in the media that Sylva pays ex-militants in Bayelsa State.”