The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has relocated the four hostages, three Italians and one Lebanese they abducted weeks ago to another location deeper into the creeks and vowed to cut them off from any form of communication with the outside world.
They also denied any negotiations for the release of the hostages with either the Bayelsa State government, Agip or any other oil company and urged people to discountenance with any claim of negotiating for their release.
The new position of the militant group was sequel to controversies trailing the attempts to release the hostages which has become big business due to the whopping sums usually involved in such transactions.
Apparently angered by the development, the spokesperson of MEND, Mr. Gbomo Jomo in an online release sent to newsmen, denied that they were discussing with anybody for the release of the hostages as they would only exchange them with their leaders currently undergoing various trials in court.
They had in earlier statements insisted on the pursuit of the Niger Delta agneda which border on resource control and release of Alhaji Mujahis Dokubo Asari, leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force and former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alameighesigha.
Francese Arena, Cosma Russo, Roberto Dieghi (Italians) and Imad Saliba, a Lebanese were abducted last week on an Agip platform in Brass and have been held since then by their captors who said they did not need monetary inducement for their release.
“We wish to refute claims by the Bayelsa government that it is in contact with us and negotiating the release of the hostages. There have been no meetings whatsoever with the Bayelsa government, Agip or any other parties towards the release of the hostages.
“As earlier stated, the hostages will only be exchanged. There will be no negotiations.
It is unkind for the Bayelsa State government to mislead the families of the hostages into believing it is working towards the release of the hostages.
“The Bayelsa State Secretary to the State Government was appointed to negotiate the release and he is presently on holidays abroad, a clear inidication that they have given up on trying.
“The SSG, working with an individual who recently escaped from the Port Harcourt prisons, was able to smuggle a cell phone to the hostages where they were at first kept. This was discovered and all four hostages have been relocated and will not be permited to communicate with the outside world until their eventual release”, MEND warned.