MILITANTS INDICT FG ON EQUITORIAL GUINEA COUP

 MOVEMENT for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) yesterday came down heavily on the Federal Government of Nigeria, alleging that Abuja was behind the failed coup attempt in Equatorial Guinea on Tuesday.

Spokesman for the insurgent group, Jomo Gbomo, in an on-line statement to our correspondent yesterday claimed that their investigation has linked the Nigerian government ''as the brain behind the failed coup attempt in Equatorial Guinea on Tuesday, February 17, 2009 to install a dissident based in Spain as Head of State''.

According to MEND, ''militants from the Bakassi axis who were recruited for the operation with monetary inducement have given us details of the state- sponsored terrorism which involved the Ministry of Defense, National Security Adviser and the Presidency''.

Continuing, they alleged, ''the Eastern Naval Command headquarters in Calabar, Cross Rivers state played a major role in the plot as liaison between the government and the Camp commander through a naval intelligence officer in the rank of a captain''.

Adding, they said, ''the Navy and military Joint Task Force (JTF) patrolling the area also ensured that the fighters left and entered Nigerian territorial waters unchallenged''. 

But, Foreign Affairs Minister, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, on Wednesday night strongly condemned the attempted coup in Equitorial Guinea that was allegedly carried out by militants from the Niger Delta.