(NSI News Source Info) Port Harcourt/Akure - May 18, 2009: Umbrella body of the militants in the Niger Delta, Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), has sent out a chilling signal, threatening an impending attack on the Federal Government, and particularly, Northerners who occupy prominent positions in the oil industry. 
A fighter of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), holds his weapons at the militia's creek camp in the Niger Delta. Armed Nigerian militants who have declared an "oil war", in response to what it said was an unprovoked attack by the army, claimed to have blown up a major pipeline in their latest attack on oil installations in the region. MEND, the most prominent of the groups operating in the creeks and swamps of the Niger Delta, said it blew up a pipeline it believes is operated by Royal Dutch Shell and Italy's Agip. The rebels moved in with speed boats, dynamite and hand grenades in their attack on the Orubiri flow station, the army said. MEND says it is fighting for local people to get a greater share of the huge oil revenues. Since MEND took up arms in early 2006, Nigeria's oil output has been cut by at least one quarter due to kidnappings and sabotage in the Delta. Hurricane Barbarossa is the code name MEND has given to its new offensive against foreign majors.
"Our message to the Northern Sultans and Emirs is this: The period of exploiting the Niger Delta is coming to an end. It is not the birth right of your people to rule the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
"The war is just beginning and by the time it ends, Nigeria will practice true federalism such as fiscal federalism which will benefit the entire populace. Let your people brace themselves to develop their resources and such a bold change will be remembered," Jomo Gbomo, MEND's spokesman said in an electronic mail on Sunday.
The threat came a few hours after the Special Adviser to the Rivers State Governor on Budget, Austin Ngor, was kidnapped and moved to an unknown destination.
It was not clear what the demands of the kidnappers are, but the governor's Chief Press Secretary, Blessing Wikinaka, has warned them to free the man immediately as there was no just reason for his abduction.
Meanwhile, MEND two of the hostages in their custody killed "in the course of the war".
It said the remaining one has been relocated to an unnamed camp in Delta State.
MEND dared the security outfit, Joint Task Force (JTF), to destroy all its (MEND's) camps, which it said, were spread in many places across Niger Delta region.
The MEND's spokesman said, "The British hostage, Mr Matthew Maguire, has been relocated to Delta State and will be a guest of one of the camps there".
He added: "Nigerians should now brace up for the worst from the decisions of an incompetent leadership.
"The Niger Delta people who have endured injustice and genocide for over 50 years must be ready to fight for change as our destiny should not be in the hands of others but ourselves.
The group said it was embarrassed at the "performance of the Nigerian Armed Forces who performed like poorly trained amateurs by bombing indiscriminately into civilian communities using helicopter gunships and fighter jet planes.
"Civilians should have been allowed to leave the area before the attack. This simply has shown that the government is insensitive to the Niger Delta people.
"If the Army's mission was to also rescue the hostages, then that again was a botched and ridiculous attempt because the hostages were not at any immediate risk except for their temporary freedom.
"We regret to announce that two hostages have been killed by the indiscriminate shelling and two more are still in our custody.
"We are happy that all of them were not killed by the Army. The bodies of the dead men will be handed over to the Red Cross. MEND deeply regrets the avoidable deaths".
It denied claims that the Army captured a plane from one of its camps.
"If my memory serves me right, the plane in question is a toy remote controlled plane which can be purchased from any toy shop. It is rather shameful that they cannot distinguish the difference between a toy plane and a drone.
"As promised, we have begun nibbling again at the oil infrastructure. Already, two major trunk pipe and gas lines, which were recently repaired, have been blown up. This is just the tip of the series of attacks we plan to carry out.
"For the Nigerian government to declare victory, troops must be able to secure every inch of pipelines and eliminate the over 500 camps stretching from Ondo to Akwa Ibom.
"What the government has been successful in doing is committing genocide against the Ijaw communities whose offence, it seems, is discovering oil in their backyards," the group said.
A fighter of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), holds his weapons at the militia's creek camp in the Niger Delta. Armed Nigerian militants who have declared an "oil war", in response to what it said was an unprovoked attack by the army, claimed to have blown up a major pipeline in their latest attack on oil installations in the region. MEND, the most prominent of the groups operating in the creeks and swamps of the Niger Delta, said it blew up a pipeline it believes is operated by Royal Dutch Shell and Italy's Agip. The rebels moved in with speed boats, dynamite and hand grenades in their attack on the Orubiri flow station, the army said. MEND says it is fighting for local people to get a greater share of the huge oil revenues. Since MEND took up arms in early 2006, Nigeria's oil output has been cut by at least one quarter due to kidnappings and sabotage in the Delta. Hurricane Barbarossa is the code name MEND has given to its new offensive against foreign majors.
"Our message to the Northern Sultans and Emirs is this: The period of exploiting the Niger Delta is coming to an end. It is not the birth right of your people to rule the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
"The war is just beginning and by the time it ends, Nigeria will practice true federalism such as fiscal federalism which will benefit the entire populace. Let your people brace themselves to develop their resources and such a bold change will be remembered," Jomo Gbomo, MEND's spokesman said in an electronic mail on Sunday.
The threat came a few hours after the Special Adviser to the Rivers State Governor on Budget, Austin Ngor, was kidnapped and moved to an unknown destination.
It was not clear what the demands of the kidnappers are, but the governor's Chief Press Secretary, Blessing Wikinaka, has warned them to free the man immediately as there was no just reason for his abduction.
Meanwhile, MEND two of the hostages in their custody killed "in the course of the war".
It said the remaining one has been relocated to an unnamed camp in Delta State.
MEND dared the security outfit, Joint Task Force (JTF), to destroy all its (MEND's) camps, which it said, were spread in many places across Niger Delta region.
The MEND's spokesman said, "The British hostage, Mr Matthew Maguire, has been relocated to Delta State and will be a guest of one of the camps there".
He added: "Nigerians should now brace up for the worst from the decisions of an incompetent leadership.
"The Niger Delta people who have endured injustice and genocide for over 50 years must be ready to fight for change as our destiny should not be in the hands of others but ourselves.
The group said it was embarrassed at the "performance of the Nigerian Armed Forces who performed like poorly trained amateurs by bombing indiscriminately into civilian communities using helicopter gunships and fighter jet planes.
"Civilians should have been allowed to leave the area before the attack. This simply has shown that the government is insensitive to the Niger Delta people.
"If the Army's mission was to also rescue the hostages, then that again was a botched and ridiculous attempt because the hostages were not at any immediate risk except for their temporary freedom.
"We regret to announce that two hostages have been killed by the indiscriminate shelling and two more are still in our custody.
"We are happy that all of them were not killed by the Army. The bodies of the dead men will be handed over to the Red Cross. MEND deeply regrets the avoidable deaths".
It denied claims that the Army captured a plane from one of its camps.
"If my memory serves me right, the plane in question is a toy remote controlled plane which can be purchased from any toy shop. It is rather shameful that they cannot distinguish the difference between a toy plane and a drone.
"As promised, we have begun nibbling again at the oil infrastructure. Already, two major trunk pipe and gas lines, which were recently repaired, have been blown up. This is just the tip of the series of attacks we plan to carry out.
"For the Nigerian government to declare victory, troops must be able to secure every inch of pipelines and eliminate the over 500 camps stretching from Ondo to Akwa Ibom.
"What the government has been successful in doing is committing genocide against the Ijaw communities whose offence, it seems, is discovering oil in their backyards," the group said.
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