At 16.00 Hrs on Thursday, August 14, 2008, an elite commando unit from the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) concluded a successful rescue of the two German hostages and staff of Julius Berger PLC, Mr Jurgen Vetten (43) and Mr Bernd Mechlen (60) from inside the heavily fortified hideout of the group that kidnapped them when it became apparent that the older of the men risked loosing his life from the injuries sustained during the initial attack if further delayed.
The rescue was more of cunning as it gave the kidnappers the impression we were on the same page and had a grudge against Julius Berger.
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Our ultimate prizes were rescued without any shots being fired and no loss of life even though the commando unit were on standby to intervene if necessary for this symbolic rescue, code named OPAS ( Operation Paul and Silas).
Weeks of intense intelligence gathering, planning and training, culminated in this tactical victory for which we salute everyone involved including the Coventry Cathedral.
The decision to carry out this audacious mission was reached on humanitarian grounds even though the Nigerian government has not shown good faith in Henry Okah's case such as follows:
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1. Henry Okah was brought into Nigeria without the government following the due international process for extradition.
2. He is being held hostage in northern Nigeria under inhuman prisoner of war type confinement.
3. His family has been denied access to see him, while his legal team has limited access to their client to prepare his defense.
4. He is being tried under a flawed kangaroo judicial process that does not guarantee justice.
5. It is apparent that the insincere Nigerian government prefers to negotiate and offer amnesty only to those that have evaded capture as against those in it's custody.
By this action, we are only proofing that MEND is not on the same pedestal as the criminals inside the government of Nigeria who preferred to use the situation in lining their pockets without realising our threats to Julius Berger were part of a plan to put the abductors off guard .
The hostages will be delivered tonight at a location to be arranged and the over zealous men of the JTF must keep away from the rivers leading into Port Harcourt as the hostages will be escorted to the drop off area by heavily armed fighters. An air ambulance should be made available in Port Harcourt as the older of the hostages suffered spinal injuries in the initial abduction and may require advanced life support.
Jomo Gbomo
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