Nigeria: MEND Resumes Hostilities – Blows Up Agip Trunk Line in Bayelsa
MTN is leaving security matters to the Nigerian and South African authorities and has no further comment, Rich Mkhondo, a spokesman for the Johannesburg-based company, said in a response through e-mail yesterday.
MEND said: “In the dark days to come, MTN, SACOIL, and other South African investments will pay a heavy price for the interference of Jacob Zuma in the legitimate fight for justice in the Niger Delta by its people. The South African President has reduced himself to the position of a hired thug for Goodluck Jonathan”.
The group, which also announced a new phase of its struggle for justice, claimed responsibility for the January 28, bombing of the Ogbogbabene country home of the Minister for Niger Delta, Elder Godsday Orubebe in Burtutu Local Government Area of Delta State.
According to the group, “On Saturday, February 4, at 1930hrs, fighters of the MEND attacked and destroyed the Agip trunk line at Brass in Bayelsa State in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.”
It said: “This relatively insignificant attack is a reminder of our presence in the creeks of the Niger Delta and a sign of things to come. We have constantly warned Nigerians about Goodluck Jonathan and the people running Nigeria. Events of the last few months have vindicated our position. Rather than address serious issues facing the nation and its citizens, Goodluck Jonathan squanders public funds on tribalistic sycophants and thugs calling themselves ex-militants.
“Nigerians should disregard the idle threats and ranting of imaginary militant groups and other hired ‘Jonathan praise singers.’ Besides empty talk, they are unable to help Jonathan in anyway. In fact most so called ex-militants are hiding in Abuja or Lagos, not venturing near their villages in the Niger Delta.
“Our silence thus far, has been strategic and at the right time, we will reduce Nigerian oil production to zero and drive off our land, thieving oil companies. British Petroleum is prepared to pay $25 billion compensation for the Gulf of Mexico oil spillage, yet for worse spillages in the Niger Delta; our people are paid with death at the hands of the Nigerian military.
The MEND understands the negative impact our assault on the Nigerian oil industry will have on the ordinary citizen in a country which relies almost entirely on one source of revenue. Unfortunately, the floundering government of Nigeria is more concerned with enriching themselves than attending to the problems of the Niger Delta and the continuously depreciating standard of living of the ordinary Nigerian.
“A government incapable of managing roads, refineries, power stations and other basic infrastructure is again squandering valuable public funds on a committee tasked with investigating the viability of nuclear energy for electricity generation. The government of Nigeria is incapable of safely disposing household refuse.
How then do they plan to deal with the toxic by-product of nuclear energy? In this new phase of our struggle for justice, the MEND will pay considerable attention to dealing with security forces and traitorous indigenes of the Niger Delta.