They have been paid and settled with everything they wanted and signed agreement to stop their agitation and help or pioneer the war against further agitations in Niger Delta. This is very much as simple as that they have traded the wellbeing of the people for their enrichment and desires. In 2008/2009 when agitation for resource control in that part of Biafra was raw and at its peak; everybody thought the government of late Yar’dua was responsible for the death of agitation. A dossier on MEND accumulated through rigorous investigation on its current war against the people of Niger Delta part of Biafra and entire people of Biafra shows the group is simply living to the agreement signed with the government which was fashioned to be called amnesty. Jonathan picked up from the man that brokered this agreement but was better under Umaru.
The report says that the Amnesty granted then went beyond the normal amnesty we thought it was, according to the various sources who spoke to Ifeanyi Chijioke on the development, the report said ‘The government was more concerned about the future than that present time; they were proactive in any negotiation and that proved decisive to the present agitation. The amnesty granted to MEND was majorly to stop any agitation in Niger Delta and they MEND holds the mandate to make sure that the people don’t ask for anything in a way that could be threatening to the government. The amnesty granted was assiduously fought by MEND and that is the disconnection between the people. The people thought MEND was on resource control agitation but unfortunately, MEND was on amnesty demand and pocket enrichment. This however gave the government upper hand in the negotiation and clauses contained in the amnesty before it was granted’.
Now let me make something clear to you; MEND is doing what they should do because they entered into agreement with the government. Government brought out millions of Naira to solve Niger Delta crisis and guess what? The money was used to buy MEND and deny the people participation or any agitation. The government of Nigeria believes that the people have no power and when you protest, you are just wasting your time. They fear the boys with gun, who shoot and destroy government properties and they believe they are the only problem and people worthy of attention. The people thought MEND was fighting for them but that was unfortunate because they started the fight for the people. MEND lost it at the long run and they succumbed to the Government, they were bribed and promised everything and that was how the dream of a better Niger Delta died. MEND chose money over the agitation and a lot of persons were lobbied. When Jonathan came in, there was a change of approach and that angered MEND”
Another source who made up the dossier said “The ordinary people were sent to school abroad down here and at the initial time some were paid amnesty stipend. That was to create a picture or convince the public that the people were involved and that was the plan of MEND. It is like giving politician money to share and he shares a little to show he shared and then pocket the main money. MEND got amnesty as a contract and they never knew such thing would come out of the struggle; they were initially faithful but could not survive taste of time. They took the money from the government and connection they had on one reason, that they-MEND would stop any agitation in Niger Delta hence the government gives them what they agreed upon. Because they championed the militancy in the early days, they were believed to be the solution and that proved right”
While on another hand, another contributor to the report who claimed he followed MEND and was able to observe everything that happened said “MEND claimed that they are all and all in Niger Delta and they can stop and can as well start militancy in Niger Delta. They boasted that they control the creeks and every single youth in Niger Delta part of Biafra and that was what gave the government the conviction to deal with MEND straight. MEND were so inquisitive and curious about the amnesty, they forgot what they came for and what they were fighting for. They forgot that they were fighting for the people and took militancy as business and when the window to get rich came, they pounced on it and devoured it. The reason the government mapped out so much money was the vow MEND made to them that, once the amnesty is granted; the agitation in Niger Delta will stop and if anybody stands to agitate, they-MEND will single handedly fight the person or persons”
The government was convinced because it would be easier for MEND to fight for the government than the government to fight. The government cannot go into the creeks but MEND can go, the government doesn’t know how militants operate but MEND knows and that was enough reason to anchor on them. The deal was finally ruled like this; you give us amnesty and everything we want and we give you Niger Delta of today and tomorrow. That is exactly what you are seeing today, the fight against Nnamdi Kanu and Avengers is living the agreement signed by MEND. They are unruly because they can’t possess the creeks again; they want to fight in the media with the fame they achieved in 2009 when they were on top of the fight. If they had their chance, they would have gone into the creeks and you see or hear gun duel between faithful agitators and MEND but because they don’t have the power, they would fight dirty and use the media as its final destination. They would talk and talk and threaten to leak secrets that they never had; they would further try to destroy images and assassinate characters and that is the war they would be alive to” he said.
A founding member who claimed that the only free person in Niger Delta is Asari Dokubo because he refused to take part in any amnesty as he vowed that the agitation is for the freedom of the people and not financial inducement spoke to Ifeanyi Chijioke in line with condition of anonymity everyone pleaded. “I don’t want to be controversial because I am old enough to be a grandfather, I have a reputation to consider and this is why I singled out Asari Dokubo. Every single one of them from Tompolo To Okahs’, they betrayed the people of Niger Delta because they are gluttons, lovers of money and they can’t suffer or sacrifice anything for the people of Niger Delta. They saw money and connection and suddenly betrayed every one of us and rushed amnesty program. MEND was a disgrace and they are responsible for everything happening to us today. It is back but this is media-MEND and not real MEND because amnesty killed MEND” he continues.
The only person that can be trusted to save the people of Niger Delta is Asari Dokubo and I pray NDA learn from the characters of Dokubo and be like him. MEND has been compromised and being used against the people as contained in the amnesty clause. They have signed that there would be nothing like agitation in Niger Delta and if they don’t live up to that, they would be probed or forced to vomit. They are in the middle of nowhere and fighting against the people of Niger Delta is the only option they have and that is the only widow they have to be stable once more. They are in one all mighty mess and nothing can save them if not the sabotage and war against the people. They must stop agitation no matter how the act might portray them. And that is what they are doing and that is what they now live for” he concluded.
MEND has against all odds and in spite of the calls by leaders in Southsouth and Southeast to abstain from fighting NDA and the entire people of Biafra but has continued to lash-tongue the people. They have also drawn a battle line against the political leaders by openly accusing them of sponsoring Avengers while Avengers was a product of bad policies and Northernization. Avengers who share the same quest with Nnamdi Kanu has continued to wreck havoc on Nigeria oil industry with a fair demand for the unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu and restructure of Nigeria but MEND have seen this act as not worthy of support but took side with the Northern oligarchy against the people of Biafra.
They have stepped up the battle against the people by claiming they secured negotiation with Nnamdi Kanu in an effort to make their mark in the Northern government they see as their government. having attacked everybody and played deaf ears to calls by well meaning Biafrans, cultural leaders and political leaders to allow the government and the people who are agitating for their right; they have rather continued to attack and lie against the people in a bit to get favour from the Northern government of Nigeria. This was same move that cost over 5million Biafra lives during the civil war but it is more obviously better that the people of Biafra know their enemies.
By Ifeanyi Chijioke writes for Biafra Post
Publisher: Akachukwu Udo.
Post A Comment:
0 comments: