Rivers crisis: MEND condemns threats to blow up oil installations
A militant group, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, has flayed threats by a coalition of ex-agitators to attack oil installations in the region over the political crisis in Rivers State.
Recall that a coalition of ex-agitators and fighters in the region under the aegis of Niger Delta Development Force had last week threatened to attack oil facilities in the region over what it termed a plot to seize financial allocations meant for local government areas in Rivers State through the courts.
But MEND’s spokesman, Jomo Gbomo, in an electronic mail on Friday morning said it will support security operatives in safeguarding crude oil installations from any attack.
Gbomo also said MEND was against the violence that has rocked Rivers State due to the lingering feud between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and his successor and estranged political godson, Siminalayi Fubara.
The statement read, ”The threat to the economy of the country over a political dispute between two politicians who were allies is unfortunate; more so, both politicians are sons of the Niger Delta.
”We cannot in the present circumstance be tricked into carrying arms against the Nigerian state on behalf of any of them, not even for any price.
”As an Ijaw son, I know the gains of having an Ijaw man as governor in Rivers, an achievement which would not have been possible but for the collaboration of other ethnic groups.
”This healthy collaboration from the various ethnic groups which produced an Ijaw son as governor was spearheaded by the FCT Minister.”
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The statement said not only would MEND back the Federal Government in protecting oil facilities, but it would also ensure that the masterminds of the threats to attack oil installations are fished out and meant to face justice.
”On that note, we shall, therefore, offer full cooperation to the security operatives to ensure that individuals or groups constituting a threat to smooth crude oil exploration are alongside their sponsors brought to book.
”If you are going for revenge, you better dig two graves, one for yourself and one for your enemy; a word is enough for the wise,” Gbomo warned in a statement.
The MEND spokesman, however, urged the elders and traditional institutions in the region to intervene in the face-off between Governor Fubara and the FCT Minister.
He also urged parties in the festering political crisis to seek judicial redress if peaceful dialogue fails.
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday barred the Central Bank of Nigeria from disbursing further monthly allocations to the Rivers State Government, citing alleged constitutional violations by Fubara.
In her ruling, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik found that Fubara’s presentation of the 2024 budget to a four-member House of Assembly breached constitutional protocol.
This, the Rivers State Government had immediately appealed.
