Bonny Export Line: MEND Condemns Bombing, Says Militants Immature.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has described militant group, Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) as immature following the latter group’s bombing of the Bonny export line.

NDA, which was in negotiations with the Federal Government, blew up the facility on Friday, September 23, due to the ‘over-dramatization of the dialogue by President Muhammadu Buhari and his government.’

“The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) dissociates itself from the ‘holier than thou’ and arrogant attitude of the Pan-Niger Delta Group over the proposed Niger Delta Summit convened by the Federal Government,” MEND said.

“MEND also condemns in very strong terms the unstable, destructive and immature behaviour of the Niger Delta Avengers who resume hostilities at the slightest lame excuse.

“We believe that the right approach would have been to attend this Summit as a precursor to future intensive interactions and dialogue with government. A boycott at this stage, in our opinion was rather hasty.

“Considering that this government has been open to the subject of dialogue with a people whose majority sold their birth rights for monthly stipends under a fraudulent amnesty programme, whose elders, traditional rulers, tribal assemblies, political class, activists and clergy turned a blind eye and kept mute during the six years of plenty and unmitigated corruption and looting while their own son and daughter were at the helm.

“The Pan-Niger Delta Group on behalf of the Niger Delta people should go to the Summit in shame and sober reflection while singing the praise of President Buhari like the women of Israel sang in praise of David.

“All we are demanding from the present administration today are valid issues during the past administration of a son of the soil, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, which were never seen as urgent during his tenure to be addressed. MEND will remain in the Pan-Niger Delta Group in spite of the presence of some vultures whose names have sprung up from nowhere to our surprise,” the group added.