MEND alleges military attack in the Niger-Delta

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger-Delta (MEND) has announced a threat to the prevailing ceasefire in the region.

The group in a statement released today claimed that “the Nigerian military Joint Task Force (JTF) today, November 17, 2009 at 0600 hrs invaded the Kula community in Akuku Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State ostensibly to search for hidden weapons.”

According to MEND in the release, signed by Jomo Gbomo, “specifically targeted (by the JTF) was the home of a former Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) commander, Christian don Pedro which was extensively destroyed.”

MEND claimed that the task force’s assault on the Kula community was unsuccessful as it “yielded nothing.” This alleged attack is coming in the midst of negotiations towards lasting peace in the region as the group’s leader, Henry Okah and the Aaron Team ( a group appointed by MEND to hold negotiations with the Federal Government on its behalf) met the Nigerian President, Umaru Yar’Adua in a closed door meeting last Saturday, in Abuja.

However, the JTF Commander, Sarkin Bello, speaking to NEXT from his new base in Bayelsa denied the allegation.

He said, “What happened was that in the early hours of the morning, around 3 and 4am there was a lot of shooting in the area and there are troupes on ground in the area. I directed my men in the morning to go to the community and search for what led to the shooting. And that was all they did.”