Nigeria: Militants reject talks with President

  1. Posted on Wednesday 5 August 2009 - 08:42
    Murtala
    Image of Murtala
    Murtala Mohamed Kamara, AfricaNews reporter in Freetown, Sierra Leone
    Nigeria's militant group the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger-Delta (MEND) said it is not interested in holding face to face talks with Nigeria's President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua as long as 'the President takes appropriate decision which will lead to the end of the Niger-Delta conflict.'
    nigeria militants
    "There are some of us that crave such meetings and those are in the minority and they are doing so for selfish monetary gains. As long as the President gets our message from Timi Alaibe or from the pages of newspapers, meeting him is not as important as the actions he takes to bring about the change every Nigerian now craves for, such as fiscal federalism," Jomo Gbomo spokesman for MEND said in an email to the Nigerian Vanguard newspaper.

    However, the email added: "We (MEND) are still consulting and hope that before the expiration of the 60-day ceasefire, the team can discuss with the President's envoy”.

    MEND has disrupted oil supplies from the Western African nation leaving the country to lose millions of dollars from its oil wealth. As part of efforts to put an end to the Niger-Delta crisis, Yar’Adua recommended an amnesty offer for militants who put down their weapons. Henry Okah, MEND leader was released as part of the offer. Timi Alaibe Special Adviser to the President on Niger-Delta has reportedly met with Okah and other key leaders of the militant group to resolve the crisis.

    Meanwhile, the Chief Mediator for MEND Prince Joseph Etella Harry has said that to completely resolved the crisis, the MEND has requested the following: "The Federal Government shall pay N300,000 per an AK47 and two magazines” and in addition "The Federal Government shall construct sustainable three bedroom flats at low cost. The buildings which must be constructed in their places of choice within the Niger Delta, shall be exclusively for militants and sundry youths who shall undertake to pay the cost due within 10 years."

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