MEND says Avengers, other criminals not involved in ongoing talks with FG 

The claim that Federal Government is in talks with militants in the Niger Delta has been confirmed as truth.

This is as Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND), confirmed dialoguing with the Federal Government but said, the dialogue does not involve criminals masquerading as militants like Avengers among others.

President Muhammadu Buhari had Thursday,  while granting farewell audience to the outgoing Ambassador of Germany to Nigeria, Mr. Michael Zinner, at the Presidential Villa Abuja, said that his administration was holding talks with the militants for possible compromise.

But Niger Delta Avengers, the most dreaded militant group in the region at present, the following day, Friday, denied Buhari’s claim that government was discussing with militants.

Its spokesperson, self-styled Brig Gen Mudoch Agbinibo, in a statement countering that claim said, “Our attention has been drawn to media report that the President is in touch with Niger Delta agitators, including the Niger Delta Avengers, but the truth is that we are not aware of any peace talk.

“If there is any such peace talk, it means the President is talking to their mercenaries set to disturb the genuine struggle of the agitators. President Buhari led government is not sincere to the Nigeria people and their foreign allies.”

However, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) today confirmed President Buhari’s claim.

Read also: Militants reject MEND, issue three-week ultimatum

Jomo Gbomo, Mend spokesperson, in a press statement said: “The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) wishes to confirm that indeed it has been in preliminary talks with the Federal Government through oil companies and law-enforcement agencies as revealed by President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday, July 21, 2016.”

“These preliminary talks are the precursor to a wider dialogue between the Federal Government and the MEND Aaron 2 peace initiative, which will seek to find solutions to the short, medium and long-term future of the Niger Delta region.

“The Federal Government made it clear during our meetings that a negotiation with criminals is out of the question.

“The Niger Delta Avengers, internet-based ‘militant’ groups such as Joint Revolutionary Council, Ultimate Warriors etc., an Ijaw opportunistic tribal assembly, which were compromised to keep silent during the six years of Goodluck Jonathan’s misrule and neglect, pirates, pipeline vandals, oil thieves, commercial kidnappers, waterway robbers, political thugs and miscreants all fall under this category”, the statement read.

By Ebere Ndukwu …

 

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