It appears that the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has accepted the olive branch dangled by the Buhari’s government as it has set up a so-called ‘Aaron Team 2’ to dialogue with the Federal Government on the immediate, medium and long-term future of the Niger Delta region.
In a statement yesterday, signed by its spokesman, Jomo Gbomo, MEND explained that the decision of saying yes to dialogue followed probing discussions it held with top officials of President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.
Members of Aaron 2 team are, Henry Odein Ajumogobia SAN (Rivers), Bismark Rewane (Delta), Sen. Florence Ita-Giwa (Cross River), Timipa Jenkins Okponipere (Bayelsa), Ibanga Isine (Akwa Ibom), Ledum Mitee (Rivers) and Lawson Omokhodion (Edo State).
On the activities of the group, Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), which seems to have snubbed government’s offer of dialogue, MEND said: “Our message to the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) is simple: The Niger Delta struggle is beyond attacks on oil installations,” it stated. “Indeed, prior to the MEND ceasefire; the group had, among numerous daring attacks, on Thursday, June 19, 2008, successfully carried out the spectacular attack on Royal Dutch Shell’s offshore Bonga oilfield which is located at a whooping distance of 120 kilometers (75miles) south-west of the Niger Delta.”
The militant group argued that after the initial euphoria of each successful attack, the gigantic problems confronting the region, including environmental pollution and political corruption, spiked geometrically.
“If indeed your cause is to avenge the injustice done to the Niger Delta region, then we urge you to ceasefire and join us to the table of negotiation with the Federal Government, otherwise, the Niger Delta struggle shall be hijacked, once again, by selfish interests for their own personal aggrandizement.
“One such example is the recent purported NDA demand made through the region’s governors that the Federal Government should drop charges of corruption against certain individuals and politicians from the region. This absurd and ridiculous demand, to say the least, is far removed from the Niger Delta struggle.”
MEND clarified that the members of Aaron Team 2, who have accepted to serve, are patriotic and selfless men and women of proven track record, integrity and character and drawn from different parts of the Niger Delta region, they are not members of MEND.
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