MEND Statement: Attack on Mobile Police checkpoint in Bayelsa state

This is a worrying revival of an old pattern in which kidpnapped hostages are handed over to a MEND camp, whose commanders then undertake negotiations for ransom and release.  This particular "Jomo Gbomo," or MEND "spokesman," seems to be suggesting that the group repositioning itself in the region and is seeking to raise its revenue and profile. DL

From: Jomo Gbomo <newnigerdelta_mend@yahoo.com>

Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2012 08:44:35 +0000 (GMT)

Subject: Attack on Mobile Police checkpoint in Bayelsa state

Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta(MEND) confirms that the attack on a Nigerian marine police checkpoint on Thursday March 1, 2012,  in Bayelsa state in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria was carried out by our fighters. Additionally, we are in contact with the abductors of Captain Pikus Viktor, chief engineer Melnikov Slava and crew member Frederick Villamor taken off a Dutch registered reefer, "MV Breeze Clipper", anchored approximately 3 nautical miles off the coast of Port Harcourt on Tuesday, February 28, 2012.

The kidnappers have offered to hand these sailors who are all in good health over to one of our camps in Rivers State. We are considering this offer as these men were not captured from a vessel related to the Nigerian oil industry. The master and chief engineer are Russian while the remaining crew member is from the Philippines.

M.E.N.D wishes to sound a warning to masters of oil industry vessels considering adopting manoeuvers aimed at preventing our fighters from boarding their vessels.

We will launch rockets at the bridge and other parts of the superstructure of such uncooperative vessels, and ensure such vessels are set alight, when we eventually board. 

Jomo Gbomo