The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has described
the new militant group, Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) as being out to disrupt
the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari , seeking for the
cancellation of the amnesty programme.
It alleged that the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) headed by
Brigadier General Paul Boroh (rtd) is still running on the corrupt
bureaucratic and operational template of the past administration.
Besides, the group distanced the Niger Delta region from the secessionist
call by the Independent Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), expressing belief in the
unity and truly federated Nigerian state.
This is contained in a statement by its spokesperson, Jomo Gbomo,
affirming th Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) was a signature of the
corruption of the past administration, which he said lacked genuine
efforts to proffer solutions to the problems bedeviling the region.
The group sued for support for President Muhammadu Buhari’s
administration, saying that the administration needs time to steady the
economy which has had been destroyed over the yeares by successive
administration and appealed to the president to ensure the release of its
leader, Henry Okah and his brother, Charles Okah, who are serving jail
terms.
The MEND statement said: “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 grundnorm and 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.