Posted by By FEMI FOLARANMI, Yenagoa on
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) on Thursday called off its ceasefire of hostilities against the Federal Government and oil companies in the Niger Delta region.
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) on Thursday called off its ceasefire of hostilities against the Federal Government and oil companies in the Niger Delta region. The group also issued a stern warning to the British Government over its pledge to offer military assistance to the Umar Musa Yar' Adua administration, the basis for which it decided to end the ceasefire in force since June 24.
The oil-rich region has been embroiled in crisis over mounting demands by the Niger Delta people for infrastructural development and welfare.
Efforts by the Federal Government to resolve the problems with the planned convocation of a Niger Delta stakeholders' summit had failed to douse the agitation with MEND raising the stake recently by attacking the Bonga offshore facility operated by the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC).
MEND after appeals by elders and leaders of the region decided to call a ceasefire from midnight of June 24 to give peace and dialogue a chance.
However, the spokesman of the group, Jomo Gbomo in a statement on Thursday said MEND would call off its ceasefire from the midnight of July 12.
According to the group, President Yar' Adua misled the international community during the G8 meeting in Japan to believe that oil theft was the cause of the problems in the region.
MEND warned that should the British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown go ahead with his pledge of military to support to the Yar' Adua government British citizens and interests would suffer the repercussion.
The statement reads in part: 'The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) wishes to sound a stern warning to the British Prime Minister, Mr Gordon Brown over his recent statement offering to provide military support to the illegal government of Umaru Yar'Adua in further oppressing the impoverished people of the Niger Delta.
'To demonstrate our seriousness to the UK support of an injustice, MEND will be calling off its unilateral ceasefire with effect from midnight, Saturday July 12, 2008.
'Mr Yar'Adua in a fraudulent appeal to the G8 leaders in Japan, misled the international community into believing that the unrest and agitation in the region is due to oil theft which encourages "blood oil."
'The international community and independent researchers are very well aware that the unrest in the region is as a result of over five decades of oil exploration that has developed other parts of Nigeria to the detriment of the environment and people of the Niger Delta.
'The United Kingdom is part of this problem with the politics it played pre- independence that gave leverage to some sections of the country which has helped in marginalizing and exploiting the region today.
'Should Gordon Brown make good his threat to support this criminality for the sake of oil, UK citizens and interests in Nigeria will suffer the consequences."