The group also demanded the resignation of Petroleum Minister, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke, the immediate release of Henry Okah who is serving a jail term in South Africa, and the release of Okah’s brother, Charles. But top police sources who preferred anonymity yesterday sneered at MEND’s latest threat saying there was no need to keep glorifying such threats. A statement purportedly issued yesterday on behalf of MEND suggested that it had resumed hostility, code-naming it ‘Hurricane Exodus’, which it said began yesterday morning in the Federal Capital Territory.
The
statement signed by the group’s spokesman, Jomo Gbomo, warned Nigerians to
steer clear of vehicles laden with petroleum products, while also demanding for
the removal of the Petroleum Minister, the release of its leaders, Henry Okah
and his brother, Charles.
The group
also made other demands. The statement read: ‘Hurricane Exodus’ resumed at
about 00:05Hrs on Saturday, June 15, 2013, when field operatives from the
Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), stealthily attached
portable military limpet explosives magnetically to two articulated tanker
vehicles laden with petrol in a queue outside the NNPC depot in Abaji, the
Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. “The devices were timed to detonate
simultaneously several seconds later.
The
outcome was predictable. This segment of Exodus codenamed ‘Operation Touch and
Go’ is targeted at the soft underbelly (downstream sector) of the oil industry
in Nigeria.
“From
today, every tanker vehicle we find distributing petroleum products including
propane gas has become a legitimate target in our war against injustice,
corruption, despotism and oppression. Drivers of tanker vehicles continue to
drive them at their own risk.
“The
public are hereby advised to maintain a safe distance from such vehicles as
they can explode anytime and anywhere. Harassment on these tanker vehicles
would be sustained until the following demands are met:
• Henry
Okah, his brother Charles and other innocent persons set up as scapegoats and
held over the October 01, 2010 twin car bombings in Abuja be released
unconditionally.
• That an
unreserved apology be tendered by the Nigerian government to MEND for
presenting a forged email letter threatening the South African government
purported to have originated from us and used as evidence in the sham trial and
conviction of Henry Okah.
• That a
separate independent body outside Nigeria investigates the forged letter so as
to ascertain its authenticity and make their findings public.
• That
since our struggle has never been about a Goodluck Jonathan Presidency, nor
about being beneficiaries of dubious pipeline protection contracts and other
forms of bribery, a conference to address the injustice, underdevelopment,
environmental degradation and outstanding root issues confronting the Niger
Delta region must be fixed to hold within three (3) months.
• That
the corrupt and inept…resigns as Minister of Petroleum. But indications emerged
last night that security agencies in the Federal Capital Territory might have
scaled up efforts to forestall a likelihood of bomb attack on the territory
following the MEND threat. However, multiple security sources in Abuja recalled
earlier statements purportedly made by the group in which it threatened renewed
attacks on critical national assets.
“MEND has
this year alone made over 10 of such threats. I wonder why the media continues
to glorify them by giving them such prominence. However, we are always on the
alert and there is no cause for alarm”, said an operative of the Department of
State Service (DSS) who did not want his name in print. Deputy Force Public
Relations Officer, Frank Mba, could not be immediately reached for media
enquiries.
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