The Movement for Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND), has claimed responsibility for the Explosions that today rocked the Warri, Delta State venue of an amnesty talks minutes after militants issued a bomb threat. MEND said its operatives planted three bombs at the venue.
They planted three devices in and around the venue of the conference.
It vows to detonate the first device at 11:30am. The group gave only 30 minutes notice of intention to detonate the bomb and allow evacuation.
There was confusion over the source of the explosions. Some witnesses pointed to car bombs outside the compound; others said one of the devices went off near a hall where delegates were meeting.
It was not immediately clear if there were any casualties.
MEND spokeman Jomo Gbomo said it was the beginning of a new onslaught.
Present were Governors Emmanuel Uduaghan, Ikedi Johokim and Adams Oshimohole of Delta, Imo and Edo states.
Also present were the Minister for the Niger Delta, Chief Ufot Ekaette, and prominent Niger Delta citizens, which include Prof. Pat Utomi and Mr. Tony Uranta.
“In the coming days, we will carry out a number of attacks against installations and oil companies across the Niger Delta,” he said.
The MEND statement allegedly signed by Gbomo Jomo reads: “After receiving the baton of ignorance from his Bayelsa state counterpart, the governor of Delta State declared in the Vanguard newspaper of February 22, 2010 that “the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) is a media creation.”
“Thinking of no better way to announce our continued presence in the Niger Delta to Mr Uduaghan, operatives of MEND today March 15, 2010, successfully breached the security at the Delta state government house in Warri and planted three explosive devices in and around this compound which is the venue of the Vanguard Post Amnesty Dialogue organised by the Vanguard newspaper……”
“It is common knowledge that no southerner can lay claim to an inch of land in the North so why should we continue to talk as the occupation of our land and theft of our resources by the oil companies and Northern Nigeria persists?”
Statement by the Government of Delta State
Warri: This morning (Monday march 15, 2010), explosives mounted in two cars stationed at about 200 metres away from the venue of the conference organized by Vanguard, entitled ‘Post-Amnesty Dialogue- Restoring Hope in the Niger Delta,’ were detonated.
To protect lives and properties, the Governor of Delta State, His Excellency, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, ordered immediate evacuation of participants to a safe location. The event has been put off by the organizers.
The peoples of the Niger delta will not be intimidated nor deterred by the cowardly act of a few opposed to a peaceful and non-violent approach of resolving the historic grievances of the region.
We assure all that we will not be deterred in our determination to fast-track the development of our people.
Signed,
Mr. Oma Djebah,
Hon. Commissioner for Information, Delta State.
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