Emma Amaize
17 November 2007
Port Harcourt — Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger-Delta (MEND) has broken the unwritten pact, which the Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, had with militants in the state not to attack oil installations in the state following the unexpected bombing, Thursday, of the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) crude oil delivery pipeline to the Forcados Export Terminal in Delta State.
Investigations by Saturday Vanguard, however, showed that some of the ex-militants in the state who dropped their arms, six months ago, to allow the state government prove its mettle were still keeping to their promise not to disturb the peace of the state. It was gathered that the accepted leader of the militants in the state, who is based in the Gbaramatu axis was not privy to the Forcados bombing.
Nevertheless, the MEND justified the attack in an online statement, yesterday, saying, "Our strategy is to nibble continuously on the oil industry until they are crippled. We are determined to make the military busy enough to justify the huge budget for security in the region. Our wealth should be used to develop and not to oppress us".
In an online statement, signed by Jomo Gbomo, it said that the bombing was carried out by a "small commando unit" of the group, adding, "the extent of damage could not be ascertained after the operation".
He said its next target was to blow up major bridges and other non-oil sector related infrastructures around the country.
His words: "For the upcoming attacks on major bridges and other non-oil sector related infrastructure around the country, we will give a fore-warning to avoid casualties, as our intent is to only bring down those symbols of oppression and injustice". "Regarding the attack on the Cameroonian gendarmes, we have been reliably informed by our sources inside the military of the government's cover-up by executing some prisoners on death row to present their riddled bodies and some weapons to the media as the "militants" killed in the shootout", MEND asserted.
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It is an unimaginable lack of competence and it really appallinly stinks for the government to leave the security of the country to the whims and caprices of militants and pirates as the aqbove article seems to point out. The situation in Nigeria as depicted by the article above is far worse than in Sudan because at least the government of Sudan is still in control of the country. With the militants dictating to the government and destroying any installation at will, the situation in the country is fast approaching the scenario in the DRC. It is absolutely necessary for the government to arrest the situation before it becomes impossible by involoving all the country,s security agents including the army, sss, the Navy and the Air Force etc. There should be no stone unturned. It is necessary that the government should not assume anything or put a blind trust on any orgaqnization in the area and as such the SSS should get involved with the daily security and scrutiny of all the oil company personnel. All the oil company personnel should be made to pass through the SSS security screening every day. It will, however, be a grave mistake on the part of the government to invite the US army to the Gulf of Guinea take over the security of the country. This is likely going to lead eventually to the destruction of the country which is in tune with the earlier forecast by the US that Nigeria may not last beyond 2015.
The problem with my country is greed, greed in the side of politicians and greed in the side of militants,the politician has render every facility useless bad road,poor health facility,no pipe-borne water is working except in Abuja where the rich lives,education collapse years ago, gangster took over the schools years back without the govt solvig the killing in our campuses, when it becomes worst the send heir children to school abroad, poor children can't 'purchase' admission even when they do, the are intimidating by lecturer to pay before the pass, lecturers intimidate female students to have sex, all this happened, the govt did nothing, then so criminals where fast to notice that the was no govt and the took over, to worsten matter, they say they are fighting for the people of Niger Delta and govt started negotiating with them because the know that the boys will disturb their illegal oil bunkering, the boys too has known sugar so no stopping the ant from sugar unless dead,how can govt negotiate with criminal if there is no hiden agenda, how did they get the guns,the politician gave to rig elections,the Nigeria case might get worst unless drastic measures is urgently taken, am from Niger Delta there has never been a time we meet and agree on kipnapping and demanding for for ramson or either did we agree on killing and maiming people or blowing oil pipelines jackson