Posted on: 04:56 Sun, 22 May 2016



The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has issued a statement dissociating itself from the new militant group in the Niger Delta region, “Niger Delta Avengers” accusing the group of sinister agenda to destabilize President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.

MEND said it does not have any plans to
associate with the secessionist ambition of the Indigenous People of Biafra.

The statement also said MEND ceasefire
remains in place in order to give President
Buhari regime more time to stabilize Nigeria.

The statement reads in full: “After a rigorous
and robust analysis, debate and review of
political events in Nigeria within the past 12
months; particularly as they affect the Niger
Delta region, the Movement for the
Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has
resolved to continue to respect the unilateral
ceasefire of hostilities declared May 30, 2014
against key economic interests of the Nigerian
State.

“The painful but necessary resolution to
respect the ceasefire was borne out of MEND’s
belief that as President Muhammadu Buhari
marks his first year in office, he deserves more
time to stabilize the country that was ran
aground by the ill-fated, corrupt and visionless
immediate past administration of former
President Goodluck Jonathan which pauperized
the Nigerian people to the alarming degree we
all experience today.

“The Movement for the Emancipation of the
Niger Delta (MEND) wishes to condemn and
dissociate itself from the recent activities
carried out by a group known as the “Niger
Delta Avengers”. Their sudden emergence has
absolutely nothing to do with the Niger Delta
struggle but rather a tool by certain elements
to destabilise the current government. Going by
their actions and subsequent statements, it has
become very apparent on who the sponsors of
these group are.

MEND serves notice to the International
Community that the Niger Delta region shall
NOT be part of a secessionist Biafran State.
Rather, the group believes in one strong united
Nigerian federation where the principles and
ideals of Resource Control; True Federalism;
Rule of Law/Respect for Human Rights;
Democracy; Free Enterprise and a Vibrant Civil
Society are well entrenched in the
grundnormand put to practice.

“However, The Movement for the Emancipation
of the Niger Delta (MEND) remains vehemently
opposed to the fraudulent and unsustainable
Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) headed
by Brigadier General Paul Boroh (rtd) which still
runs on the corrupt bureaucratic and
operational template of the past administration.

We have always made it very clear that unless
the root issues which gave birth to the
agitations in the Niger Delta region are
addressed, in the form of a sincere dialogue,
this programme will only continue to remain a
mere cesspool of corruption.

“In order to create an enabling environment for
dialogue on the Niger Delta question, the
Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger
Delta (MEND) urges President Muhammadu
Buhari to release the Okah Brothers – Henry
and Charles who were arrested in 2010 on
trumped-up charges. The release of Henry and
Charles Okah will be key to any form of
dialogue in helping to bring stability to the
volatile region.”