MEND carpets FG over planned Boko Haram dialogue

Business Day

14 July 2011

MEND carpets FG over planned Boko Haram dialogue .

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Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) Thursday accused the Federal Government of employing ‘double standards’ by opting to dialogue with Boko Haram; whereas it (FG) has refused to do same with MEND on the resolution of the Niger Delta injustices.

“The Nigerian government till date has refused to dialogue (with MEND) over addressing the injustice in the Niger Delta, preferring instead to deceive the world into believing that the Niger Delta issue has been resolved by the government of Goodluck Jonathan (but) has only been successful in bribing a few miscreants,” stated MEND in an emailed statement to the media.

“MEND views with scorn the statement by the security services spokeswoman, Marilyn Ogar, that the over 100 Boko Haram members recently arrested in connection with the police headquarters bombing in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja will not be prosecuted, but will be resolved politically,” stated Jomo Gbomo, spokesperson for MEND.

According to the group, the Federal Government’s option to “resolve politically” Boko Haram’s series of bombings, which has left about 700 people killed so far, “is a blatant disregard to all Christians in Nigeria killed with impunity and also an insult to all Niger Deltans, as the government is displaying double standards as regards the Niger Delta indigenes falsely and unlawfully arrested over the October 1, 2010 bomb blast carried out by our field operatives.”