Lagos — Last Monday there was panic in Warri and other parts of the Niger Delta as explosives, which the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta MEND claimed it planted, exploded at the Government House Annex, venue of a post-amnesty dialogue organized by the Vanguard newspaper.

MEND's reasons for planting those bombs were that the group was referred to as "a media creation" by Governor Uduaghan. To prove that they are not just internet tigers, MEND has to sabotage the conference. Also MEND claimed that the conference was a waste of time and resources.

When some of the so-called militants also referred to as MEND commanders, embraced the Federal Government amnesty offer the impression they gave was that militancy and violence was over in the region. They boasted that they were the real fighters while the remnants of what constitutes MEND today were mere internet warriors and could only bark but could not fight. Now that remnant of MEND is trying to prove that they are the real McCoy. What have you proved the casualties were definitely innocent passersby and Niger Delta people, who have no business with the conference? Must we shed our own innocent blood to fertilise this struggle?

I have always insisted that most of the criminals who embrace amnesty were working for politicians in the region. They have nothing to do with the Niger Delta struggle or what it is all about. Theirs was strictly for personal gains and nothing more. And for these politicians (their sponsors) to be considered as relevant they talked they boys into accepting amnesty offer so that their masters can claim relevance at the presidency and be seen as men who worked for the restoration of peace in the region. Also these repentant militants have to be alive to do their masters' bidding in the 2011 general elections and dead men don't fight.

The struggle for supremacy in the militancy world in the region is responsible for the Warri bombings. After the surrender of Tompolo, Ateke Tom, Egbema 1 and other militants' leaders; are there still militants who can pose a threat to the peace and security of the region of disrupt the amnesty and peace process? To prove this MEND has to go the extra mile of blowing up Warri. MEND needs to purge itself of the criminal elements among its members. Imagine how Hope Harriman, Olu of Warri and others were running for their lives. Our elders might have failed us or compromised but we still have that culture of respect for elders.

I would blame MEND for what has befell them, at a point the group was acknowledging known criminals, kidnappers, illegal bunkerers, hired assassins and jail breakers as it members and commanders. And as soldiers of fortune these set of militants have abandoned the agitation for greener pastures, that is, working with and for government. Even before the amnesty offer, some persons who lay claim to your membership did held press conferences within the premises of security agencies. You should know that in every struggle, agitation, revolution or mass action there are always opportunists who latch on it for pecuniary, selfish and personal reasons. The Niger Delta crisis has thrown up a lot of consultants, specialists, rehabilitation experts among other new day saviours of the region. A lot of Non Governmental Organisations, claiming to work for the development, growth, peace and stability of the region have sprung up. Every unemployed person is now a civil right or environmental activist, youth leader or one peace activist.

Like you, I am tired of all these conferences, seminars and workshops on the development of the region. I want to see action: development. But when you blow up a government property in the region you are giving politicians an avenue and a justification to loot our resources in the name of rebuilding or renovating such damage or destroyed property or facility. When you blow up an oil installation you are contributing to the environmental degradation of the region and you now create business for unqualified people to come and carry out clean up and remediation exercise.

The stage of the struggle should be more of an ideological and intellectual agitation and not violent one. See what the Ogonis, through non violent agitation, have been able to stop oil exploration activities in their land for about 15 years. MOSOP does not need to blow up any oil or government facility to show that they would not only bark but can bite. Brothers please stop further attacks on government facilities and oil installations. We cannot cut our nose just to spite our face. The underdevelopment of the region is not all about government building raids, hospitals and other facilities but the absence of business and industries as well as private investors. It is only peace that would attract private investors to come, live and do business in our region.

See what they have done to kidnapping that was one of the means of driving home your agitation. Today criminal elements have taken over kidnapping and it is one of the easiest ways to become a millionaire or settle political or personal scores. Kidnapping is now a business venture, a multimillion naira business for that matter.Also security agency and other fifth columnists within and outside the region can start planting bombs, dynamites and mines just to discredit you. Remember the days of NADECO, everything bad was attributed to NADECO.

Bros, you don't need to throw bombs and blow up pipelines to maintain your integrity and sincerity. You don't any more attacks to prove that you exist outside the cyber café. You claim to be working for the emancipation of the Niger Delta and you can't pursue this emancipation through violence and destruction of the few facilities we have. Please end this attack. Engage the Nigerian state with facts and figures; intellectual and ideological arguments to prove your points of how they marginalized and underdeveloped the Niger Delta. I think we have had enough of destruction, bloodshed and war. We need peace not because we are tired or can no longer fight but we need peace to enjoy our God-given resources. It is enough.