Nigeria's MEND: Eastern Delta Wing Leader Dagogo To Disarm
LONDON -(Dow Jones)- The main Nigerian militant faction Friday said one of its two main leaders agreed to disarm while the other one will eventually follow suit.
But a spokesman said the leaders will be replaced by a new generation to launch the next step of the unrest.
The news comes as a government amnesty for the militants is set to end Sunday.
Asked in an email if he could confirm the leaders had agreed to disarm, Jomo Gbomo, a spokesman for the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta said Farah "Dagogo has, but Tompolo [also spelled Tom Pollo] is still undecided but will eventually."
Dagogo is MEND's leader in the eastern part of the Niger Delta, while Tompolo commands in the western part.
Militant attacks have contributed to the shutting down of 1 million barrels of oil a day in Africa's largest oil production basin.
In an email earlier Friday, Gbomo said "they are following instructions from the group to step aside and move on.
"This is line with our strategy to manage the next phase of the unrest," he said.
Asked if that meant MEND had ordered the commanders to disarm in order to leave a new generation to launch a new wave of unrest, he said "exactly."

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What is the true story?

still trying to find out what is happening. tmoro will present a better picture

Jomo Gbomo, the group spokesman in a reply to Sunday Vanguard enquiry said MEND would be forced to embark on a new type of ferocious armed struggle given the threat of the defence minister who is also the chairman of the amnesty committee. The MEND spokesman who said Tom Ateke was not its commander as being speculated in some quarters but an ally added that it was a thing of joy that he yielded to its plea to step aside and move on.

He said: “Ateke is not a MEND commander but has been an ally. We are happy with the development since himself and Farah Dagogo have yielded to our encouragement to step aside and move on. It has not been in the interest of the group to have commanders whose identities have been compromised.

This is the beginning of a new type of ferocious armed struggle. The group will perform better with new commanders that are not known but are equally efficient. Aside from the ex-commander in Bayelsa, no commander has denounced militancy because they have only stepped aside.”


but mend is still speaking.

Jomo Gbomo, the spokesperson for the for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), released an official statement by Farah Dagogo, the movement's field commander, stating that Mr. Dagogo has accepted the amnesty offer by the government on October 3, 2009.


Mr. Gbomo's email said: "Please find below the statement made by Farah Dagogo who has been ushered out by MEND. All commanders have been replaced by unknown commanders and the next phase of our campaign will commence soon."


didn,t have farah,s e,mail.

decision determine desnity

Amnesty is for people who are found guilty of a crime by a court of law. I do not think tompolo have been found guilty . So amnesty does not apply to him. It is the lack of understanding of english. You must have been found guilty.