MEND Statement

AM 8TH Dec 2006

Today December 7, 2006 from 0600hrs to 0800hrs, fighters of the movement from the emancipation of the Niger delta, attacked and destroyed the AGIP installation in brass in the Niger delta.

This attack was in pursuance of our pledge to halt crude oil exportation from Nigeria. After our first major attack early in 2006, we issued a list of demands to be met by the Nigerian government in order that we suspend our armed campaign against the Nigerian oil industry.

These demands were; the release of alamieseigha and asari, payment of compensation by shell to communities affected by its spillages and resource control for the Niger delta.

Till date, the Nigerian government and oil companies have refused to meet with our demands instead preferring to bribe traitors to the cause and stage meetings with frauds and pretenders who parade themselves as militants or their representatives. We have not had one meeting with the Nigerian government so far and neither has anyone delegated by us. Those parading as representatives of mend to the Nigerian government are frauds, as the Nigerian government and oil industry will surely discover.

Also in these attacks, the under mentioned expatriates were captured; Francese Arena, Cosma Russo, Roberto Dieghi (all Italian) and Imad Saliba from Lebanon. The Nigerian government and self assumed representatives of the Niger delta claim to have been dialoguing with the leadership of mend. They should prove this by securing the release of the individuals in our custody. Our continued successes against the Nigerian military gives us cause to upgrade our list of demands which is now as follows;

1. The release of alamieseigha, asari and all prisoners of Niger delta origin held by the Nigerian government on account of our fight for justice in the delta.

2. Payment of compensation by shell and other companies to all communities affected at one time or the other by spillages resulting from their substandard work practices in the delta.

3. Complete forfeiture by the Nigerian government of its interests in the oil industry to communities in the delta

4. Payment of reparation to the entire Niger delta for 50 years of robbery and enslavement by the oil companies and the Nigerian government.

The Nigerian people should not be misled by the fiery rhetoric of general obasanjo. It should instead be discounted as the rantings of a schizophrenic. The Nigerian military cannot achieve a victory against us.

This fact is appreciated by all except Obasanjo who is persistently deluded on account of his senility. We grieve for every life lost by the Nigerian military, in our quest for freedom. Nigerian military personnel stationed at the AGIP terminal are hereby commended for displaying exemplary wisdom in the face of our attack. They fled without firing a single shot.

Military personnel securing installations across the delta are advised to take a cue from these sensible compatriots of theirs are. We have no desire to take the lives of our brothers but will not hesitate to remove all who stand in our path.

The Nigerian military is engaged in an unjust war and its soldiers are risking their lives for the sake of criminals who run Nigeria. Criminals who have no value for the lives of their citizens, widows and orphans.

Mend like most crusaders for freedom in the Niger delta has persistently been offered bribes to end our quest for justice. This will never happen. We are accountable only to the people of the Niger delta and our price for cessation of hostilities against the Nigerian oil industry, remains the emancipation of the Niger delta and its people. The time for warnings is over. Any persons having dealings with oil companies in the delta, stand a good chance of being a victim in our attacks. We have resolved to henceforth target oil company vehicles with roadside bombs, offices and wherever we may find oil workers within the delta. We will show little mercy to all oil workers, including Nigerians who fail to heed our persistent warnings to halt all activity on our land. In the course of the attacks today, our fighters burnt down the military base located in this installation, which was abandoned by the escaping soldiers. We also captured a substantial amount of weapons and ammunition in this raid.

The following days will witness more attacks against oil industry targets. We will not entertain talk concerning the release of the captured hostages. The will be exchanged for at least a part of our demands. The oil industry should realize from this the Nigerian government is useless as far as providing security in the delta is concerned. They would definitely fare better paying their taxes to us.