MEND Denies Plot to Break Up Nigeria

Armed militants from the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta. There was a bomb explosion in Warri on March 15, 2010., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

MEND denies plot to break up Nigeria

TUESDAY, 29 JANUARY 2013 00:00 FROM KELVIN EBIRI AND ABOSEDE MUSARI, ABUJA NEWS - NATIONAL
Nigerian Guardian

THE Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has dissociated itself from purported plans to disintegrate Nigeria into North and South.

The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has implored ex-militants to be circumspect in their comments to avoid unnecessarily heating up the Niger Delta and the country at large.

MEND spokesperson, Jomo Gbomo, yesterday urged Nigerians to disregard the pathetic attempt at propaganda by one Comrade Azizi that MEND is to start actions aimed at disintegrating Nigeria following the conviction of Henry Okah by a South African court for his involvement in the Independence Day bombing in Abuja.

“The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) would like to clarify the following: Mr. Henry Okah is NOT and has never been viewed as the leader or founder of MEND but rather known as a sympathiser and supporter of our cause. Our fighters are freedom-fighters who are agitating for justice, the emancipation of the Niger Delta and control of our God-given resources and not assassins as stated by this so-called Comrade Azizi,” said Gbomo.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Office, Kingsley Kuku, has called on leaders of former militants to avoid making comments that could heat up the country.

In a statement issued by his office yesterday, Kuku said the appeal became necessary in the light of recent developments involving some of the top leaders of the former agitators in the Niger Delta.

He said the Amnesty Office viewed with serious concern comments credited to some of them as reported in the media in recent weeks.

The statement also clarified that the approved stipends for the former agitators are paid into their bank accounts at the end of every month and not through any of their former leaders.