The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) claims that it has commenced “Hurricane Exodus”, an operation to wage war “against injustice, corruption, despotism and oppression”.
In a 15 June press statement sent via email to several media agencies, by its spokesperson Jomo Gbomo MEND said that it began its “Hurricane Exodus” that morning, when its field operatives “stealthily attached portable military limpet explosives magnetically, to two articulated tankers laden with petrol”. The statement claims that the tankers were in a queue outside the depot of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) at Abaji on the outskirts of Abuja, waiting to discharge products when they were blown up. It claims that the attack was part of its “Operation Touch and Go” – a part of Hurricane Exodus. It says that this segment is targeted at the downstream sector of the Nigerian oil and gas industry. It warned Nigerians to steer clear of such oil tankers as they may be attacked at any time having become “legitimate targets” in their struggle.
According to MEND, it will continue to carry out such attacks until all its demands are met. These demands include: the release of Henry Okah, his brother Charles Okah and others held in connection with the 1 October 2010 Independence day bomb blasts in Abuja; the resignation of “the corrupt and inept Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke” as minister of petroleum resources; and an “unreserved apology” from the Federal Government of Nigeria for presenting a “forged email” which threatened the South African government, and was purported to have come from MEND. The letter was used as evidence to convict Henry Okah in his trial in Johannesburg.
© 2013 Menas Associates
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