The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) says that beginning on Friday, May 31, it will embark on a crusade to save the Christianity in Nigeria from annihilation.
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) says that beginning on Friday, May 31, it will embark on a crusade to save the Christianity in Nigeria from annihilation.
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To be called “Operation Barbarossa,” MEND said its campaign will comprise bombing of mosques, hajj camps, Islamic institutions, large congregations in Islamic events and assassinations of clerics.”
The declaration is contained in a statement said today signed by Jomo Gbomo.
It said the campaign will not in any way interfere with the ongoing “Hurricane Exodus” which it said yesterday swept through the Ewellesuo community, Nembe, Bayelsa State, leaving in its wake the destruction of well 62, belonging to Shell Petroleum.
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That claim was however promptly rebutted today by the Joint Task Force (JTF) Operation Pulo Shied in Niger Delta, which asserted that MEND was not responsible for the attack on oil facilities which led to the latest oil spill.
In a statement in Yenagoa, Lt. Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, spokesman of Operation Pulo shield, said that the spill had been traced to the activities of oil thieves at Nembe community in Bayelsa State.
“The claim by those criminals of blowing up a well head is false as our troops on patrol along Nembe Creek 1 Flow Station have earlier reported an incident of oil spill on water around Ewwelesuo Community in Nembe resulting from the activities of oil thieves and our patrol team was able to trace the spillage,” he explained, adding that they observed a fresh dug out, possibly for laying an illegal pipeline, and fresh foot prints which were traced to a small camp.
In its statement, MEND said it might only consider a ceasefire of “Operation Barbarossa” if the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Catholic Church and Henry Okah, intervene, describing Okah, who was jailed recently in South Africa, as one of the few leaders in the Niger Delta region MEND respects for his integrity.
“Also the assurance for a cessation of hostilities targeted at Christians in their places of worship, made privately or publicly by the real Boko Haram leadership will make us call off this crusade,” the statement said. “We have no problems with their attacks on security agencies including the prisons, for their role in extrajudicial killings, torture, deceit and corruption.”
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