*Says rival group, MEND’s days over
Oscarline Onwuemenyi
09 June 2016, Sweetcrude, Abuja – The militant group, Niger Delta Avengers, on Wednesday rejected an offer of talks with the Federal government to end its attacks on oil facilities and also said it had blown up a Chevron well in the delta.
The militant group, according to a statement released via their twitter handle, informing the public that they are currently not negotiating with anyone. Hence, any discussion the Federal Government is having with any committee on their behalf is invalid.
The Federal government promised a cease-fire and withdrew the military from parts of the Niger Delta earlier in the week but this did not seem to stop this most recent attack.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, on Tuesday, said the government was ready to start talks with the Niger Delta Avengers which has claimed responsibility for a string of attacks on oil and gas installations in the region.
Meanwhile, the Avengers announced they had blown up a Chevron well called “RMP 20” located next to the Dibbi flow station in the Warri area in the Delta at 0100 a.m. local time.
Also, the Niger Delta Avengers have slammed members of the rival Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, according to a statement it published online.
According to the statement by its spokesman, Brig.Gen Murdoch Agbinibo, titled “Mend your criminal days are over” the militant group which has been blowing up oil installations in the Niger Delta creeks, described MEND as “disbanded criminal elements.”
It noted that, “We appeal to the general public and all sane minds on the activities of Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) to disregard all purported statements and misplaced threat emanating from disbanded criminal elements like the so-called MEND (Movement For the Emancipation of The Niger Delta) that are political sidekicks and desperation from Gov. Adams Oshiomhole of Edo state, Mr. Timipre Silva and their political paymasters to hold their political party to the jugular of the affairs of the Niger Delta Region.
“That our struggle is focused on the liberation of the People of Niger Delta from decades of divisive rule and exclusion. We are watching keenly their regretful efforts at rebranding and regrouping criminal elements in the region for their short political gains and territories.”
The NDA said it is unperturbed by threats from the rival group, adding that, “we have mandate that is clearly a departure from those old tactics of the defunct so-called MEND that was indulged in kidnapping, hostage taking, Sea piracy, illegal oil bunkering, bank robberies and social crimes, the likes of Boyloafs, Ateke Toms, were associated to in their days in the name struggle.
“The wind of change in the Niger Delta struggle has come, we are young, smart, and focused Niger Deltans. Our mandate is to liberate the Niger Delta people; we don’t run after pipeline contracts. God bless the Niger Delta People.”
