Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole, and a former Governor of Bayelsa State, Timiprye Sylva, have been accused of using the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) for political purposes.
Niger Delta Avengers, the militant group that has been attacking oil installations in the past weeks, pointed the accusing fingers to the duo in a statement on Wednesday.
The NDA, which described MEND and other groups being used by Oshomhole and Sylva to promote their political parties, All Progressives Congress (APC) and individual ambitions however, said it is would not be bothered by such clandestine move.
Spokesperson for the group, Brigadier General Mudoch Agbinibo, therefore, enjoined the public to ignore statements from MEND, saying the group is known for kidnapping, illegal oil bunkering, bank robberies and other criminal activities in the Niger Delta.
“We appeal to the general public and all sane minds on the activities of Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) to disregards all purported statements and misplaced threat emanating from disbanded criminal elements like the so-called MEND (Movement For the Emancipation of The Niger Delta) that are political sidekicks and desperations from Gov. Adams Oshiomhole of Edo state, Mr. Timipre Silva and their political paymasters to hold their political party to the jugular of the affairs of the Niger Delta Region.
“That our struggle is focused on the liberation of the People of Niger Delta from decades of divisive rule and exclusion.
“We are watching keenly their regretful efforts at rebranding and regrouping criminal elements in the region for their short political gains and territories.
“The NDA is unperturbed, we have mandate that is clearly a departure of those old tactics of the defunct so-called MEND that was indulged in kidnapping, hostage taking, Sea piracy, illegal oil bunkering, bank robberies and social crimes, the likes of Boyloafs, Ateke Toms, were associated to in their days in the name struggle.
“The wind of change in the Niger Delta struggle has come; we are young, smart, and focused Niger Deltans.
“Our mandate is to liberate the Niger Delta people; we don’t run after pipeline contracts.
“God bless the Niger Delta People,” the statement reads in full.
