The issue of militants are becoming unbearable in Niger Delta areas.
Do you think they are fighting for the development of their communities or for themselves?
Since they charge N10 million per head for those hostages.

And does the cash goes into the individual or group pocket?

Some of them have Limousines and choice houses at GRA Port Harcourt.

What is your point?

Finally someone who has the same perspectie as me. I've said this in a couple of threads before, The government may have neglected the region and they may not be in a position to condemn, but the militants of the Niger Delta are seriously not representing the region but hoping that the government will give in and install them as the default government of the region, which of course no Nigerian president will do wether it's Abacha or Nnamdi Azikwe, or Gowon or OBJ, the day that the Government give in completely is the day that pigs will fly

Psssst Can you keep a secret i work for MEND, we've got about 300 million naira in our stash so far, payday is on friday

Pls I want to work with mend

how do i become a member

Come to Port Harcourt Aiport and ring 3456-567-897, ask for Bob seyiki, we'll come with one of our vehicles and pick you up, but you've got to have a small concession fee of 200 dollars, you'l join the team immediately and in no time you'll be rich

Like in every struggle, some people loose focus. No militant can afford to have a limousine or mansion in the upland area as the security operatives will seize it. This people are making the most of the very rough terrain which previous federal governments ignored. The soldiers are making themselves easy targets by staying around oil installations only to flee at the first sound of the first shot.

Dbloc[/b]k what assurances can you give applicant [b]Stanech that he will not be kidnapped for ransom instead of recruited for service when he enters the MEND lair with his $200 enrollment fee ?    

As a precaution, Stanech must please now draft a new will before he sets forth, designating myself,  the only person expressing concern about his safety, as sole beneficiary and executor of the estate.

True, but I can guarantee is safety as long as he says the password on time
The password is Emmancipation

Doh, Now the oil workers will know it and they'll have immunity, we are ruined no one to kidnap

Don't worry if you forget the password, Stanech, you are bound to find a cost-effective option from my vast selection of "spiritually fortified" magic rings and fetish items designed to confound all who raise any weapon against you during your upcoming quest.

Yeah those are always the best, but my people are very resillient

otokx:

Like in every struggle, some people loose focus. No militant can afford to have a limousine or mansion in the upland area as the security operatives will seize it. This people are making the most of the very rough terrain which previous federal governments ignored. The soldiers are making themselves easy targets by staying around oil installations only to flee at the first sound of the first shot.

What did Asari use his share of 300million from the Government to do? What sought of Car is Soboma Using, how about Ateke what car does he use.
Soboma has always been a tout, before the advent of hostage taking when he was still loyal to Baba diki (before he died). How much did Soboma have? How come he is living in aflfuence now.
Is sandfield in Borikiri part of the creek to?? Niger, Victoria are they creeks too?

You will be getting it all wrong if you think those boys are stronger than the Nigerian Army. What you got to understand is that those boys intentionally live among local people and you will not expect 2007 Nigerian Army to open fire against its own people indiscriminately.

dblock:

Come to Port Harcourt Aiport and ring 3456-567-897, ask for Bob seyiki, we'll come with one of our vehicles and pick you up, but you've got to have a small concession fee of 200 dollars, you'l join the team immediately and in no time you'll be rich

So we have some on this forum well I need more details please

How have the militants used the ransom monies extorted to make any difference in their communities to show the rest of the world that they have interest of their people at heart? There is therefore no guarrantees that if the govt improves their condition by way of infrastructures etc that they wouild stop the trade. It has become very very lucrative and catching on fast that the elites, I believe, must be the ones doing the planning for execution by those fall guys. Militants are simply therefore armed robbers !

@Mckren; the militants are not more powerful than the army but no the terrain better.

Terrain or no terrain, the army are capable of taking out the militants in a week, only thing is that the government may have neglected the people before, but they aren't heartless. I don't think OBJ wants to go out as Idi Ami the second

In a guerrilla war of attrition, detailed knowledge of the Niger Delta's bewildering labyrinth of creeks constitutes a MAJOR advantage for the local-born defenders who can all swim like dolphins, unlike most of the attacking force who are further hampered by "up-landers" ignorance of the theater of war's topography.

But do you really think the army are attacking with full blown force, I think not . They are being more neutral although deaths have being recorded. Nigeria has the 4th largest army in Africa and the EU and Co were even offering assistance, I seriously doubt that the prob is personel or capabilty,

In times like these I'll rather not discuss what the militants or military capabilities in terms of sophistication of weapons used or knowledge of terrain is. I'll rather think about what their demands are and look at these demands fairly: I will also look at ''time'' within which the FG was expected to react favourably to the threats from these people.

Demands

1) Release of Asari Dokubo and Alamieyeseigha

2) Development of the Niger Delta region.

3) Full implementation of true Federalism (leading to resource control, of course)

Now, how far has the FG gone to pacify these ''aggrieved youths''? From the much I know about the area, nothing has been done to put a smile on the faces of the people. And if you blame the governors of the area, I will tell you that the governors were selected by OBJ to govern the people, with a mandate to continue the pauperisation of the area.

As regards if the militants are fighting for themselves or the Niger delta, I'll say they're fighting for both the Niger Delta and themslevs They're fighting for their lives. And irrespective of what the FG does or say, this fight will not stop until real development comes the way of these people.

Timeline.

The FG did not respond to the request of these group of boys. They in turn started destroying the exploration and production equipment of the operating companies and later had to start the ''lucrative?'' business of taking ''white people'' hostage.

If the FG had heeded the call for true Federalism and justice on the part of ''true'' leaders of the area, hoodlums wouldn't have hijacked the true struggles of the Delta people. A genuine reaction on the part of the FG (on time and with zeal to correct the injustice meted to these people) towards developing the area would have prevented the brazen disregard for law and order as we see it today in the creeks.

In times like these I'll rather not discuss what the militants or military capabilities in terms of sophistication of weapons used or knowledge of terrain is. I'll rather think about what their demands are and look at these demands fairly: I will also look at ''time'' within which the FG was expected to react favourably to the threats from these people.

Demands

1) Release of Asari Dokubo and Alamieyeseigha

2) Development of the Niger Delta region.

3) Full implementation of true Federalism (leading to resource control, of course)

Now, how far has the FG gone to pacify these ''aggrieved youths''? From the much I know about the area, nothing has been done to put a smile on the faces of the people. And if you blame the governors of the area, I will tell you that the governors were selected by OBJ to govern the people, with a mandate to continue the pauperisation of the area.

As regards if the militants are fighting for themselves or the Niger delta, I'll say they're fighting for both the Niger Delta and themslevs They're fighting for their lives.  And irrespective of what the FG does or say, this fight will not stop until real development comes the way of these people.

Timeline.

The FG did not respond to the request of these group of boys. They in turn started destroying the exploration and production equipment of the operating companies and later had to start the ''lucrative?'' business of taking ''white people'' hostage.

If the FG had heeded the call for true Federalism and justice on the part of ''true'' leaders of the area, hoodlums wouldn't have hijacked the true struggles of the Delta people.  A genuine reaction on the part of the FG (on time and with zeal to correct the injustice meted to these people) towards developing the area would have prevented the brazen disregard for law and order as we see it today in the creeks.

You have made some good points here. I graduated from the Niger delta and I know what it takes to live in that region. The government both past and present have done nothing to improve the standard of living of the people of that region. Nigeria exist because of Niger delta but our leaders have failed to identify this fact, rather they choose to suppress and oppress the Niger delta people. The boys have been pushed to the wall and there is no other thing they can do than to stand up and take what rightfully belongs to them by FORCE. If indeed the boys are fighting for themselves alone is non of our business now because if the right thing was done long time ago, there would not be need for the boys to start the struggle. I hope the government can meet the demands of these boys EXCEPT FOR THE RELEASE OF ALAMIEYESEIGHA because he is one othe leaders that have made Niger delta what it is today.

Nigeria oil gunmen seize Filipino

Gunmen are holding 30 foreign oil workers
Gunmen have kidnapped a Filipino oil worker and killed his police escort in Nigeria's main oil region, police say.
The Filipino was travelling south from the south-eastern city of Owerri to Port Harcourt when the gunmen attacked.

The gunmen reportedly blocked the road with a van and shot dead the policeman who tried to stop the kidnapping.

The latest kidnapping brings to 25 the number of Filipino workers being held by militant groups in the oil-rich Niger Delta creeks.

Airport closed

Nigerian police authorities confirmed the shooting but said details were still sketchy.

"It has been confirmed that a Filipino was taken away and a policeman killed near Owerri airport," Rivers State police commissioner Felix Ogbaudu told the BBC.


Port Harcourt airport has been closed since last August for maintenance, so people travelling to the city by air have to fly to Owerri in Imo State and drive another two or three hours to get to Port Harcourt.

Foreigners driving from Owerri to Port Harcourt often take armed police escorts for protection.

As well as the 25 Filipino hostages, two Italians, a Briton, an American and a Lebanese are being held by militant groups fighting for greater local control of the oil which comes from the region.

On Sunday, nine Chinese workers were released after spending 11 days in captivity.

The seizing of the 24 Filipinos on 20 January prompted Philippine President Gloria Arroyo to bar Filipino workers travelling to Nigeria for employment.

Last week, some militant groups in oil-rich region warned that unless their jailed leaders were released abduction of foreigners would continue.

Most abductions are resolved by the payment of ransoms that are often denied, a trend that has given rise to copy-cat abductions as kidnappers have made money from them.

A fifth of oil production capacity from Nigeria, the world's eighth-biggest exporter of crude, has been shut down for a year because of militant attacks on oil facilities

Yet another kidnap in a cascade of several. I really wonder what our country is turning into. A country where anarchy looms.

The way the militants are going about the whole thing is weird. I have a conviction that even if the government decides to release alamesiegha and asari, hostage taking will still continue. I have a feeling that even if the government builds the delta like rome, the hostage talking will stop. Hostage taking has come to stay with us for good.

Asari was in court yesterday, calling the presiding judge all sorts of names, threatning his family with bombs and rockets. This is in fact a very issue that we need to resolve now or else, nigeria will have no peace again.

How can a terrorist group hold an entire country to ransom? This is worrisome and should be tackled with matching force.

As regards if the militants are fighting for themselves or the Niger delta, I'll say they're fighting for both the Niger Delta and themslevs They're fighting for their lives.  And irrespective of what the FG does or say, this fight will not stop until real development comes the way of these people.

Bull Shite. The way this people dey act self, I feel say them no fit negotiate. Give them Alams, Dokubo and 15% of Oil output (Fast Cash) and the fight will stop this second. This people are 35% freedom fighters, 40% opportunists and 25% terrorists. They are leaning on the fact that the government neglected the area and I seriously doubt that the biggest thing on their mind right now is the development of the N.Delta. Take this for example, if they want the area to be developed, and they are not more interested in their own pockets, why do they insist on the release of Dokubo(A man that although is politically well known by his people and respected, will have no real impact on the positve development of the region). And why do they insist for the release of Alams, an Ex leader that was indicted by the Nigerian Government and under investigation by Scotland Yard. If they are so saddened by the destruction and pollution of my and their homeland why do they orchestrate stupid and untenaciuous bo[/b]mbings. And one more thing, tell me one government in the world that has negotiated and completely met the demands of "Freedom Fighters". I am not ignoring the fact that the region was neglected, but I seriously think that the Militants should not be at the forefront of negotiations and proposals for the region, [b]thus implying that they are no other than opportunists

Why are we wasting our time in this place? Do you think those guys don't have god fathers that emanate from the ruling tribes in Nigeria?

So do I, I have godfathers that "emanate" from the "ruling tribes" in Nigeria, but you don't see me blowing up oil fields. I am not saying i'm in the same situation but this miilitants are toying with innocent people, they are destroying things and vandalising and what is ahppening is hat nothing has being solved or achieved. It is hurting Niger Delta and Nigeria as a whole and it is even beack firing at the militants themselevs, they should come up with plan B cos the hostage taking is leading nowhere

@Otox

If know anyone involved in hostage taking tell them to desist from it cos it is a criminal act. The future of Nigeria will not be determined by criminals, it ai'nt going to happen. Nigeria is not Somalia, Siera Leone, Uganda or Sudan where war lords turn to poliicians.

@deepsoul

What I meant by "telling who ever you know to desist from the act" was basically to remind Otokx that there is no justification for the act. He should criticise the act rather than finding justification for them.
I can see you leave in PH, You may not know them but go and ask those who know them, expecially arround Borikiri, Niger, Victoria in Town they will tell you that Soboma George and Ateke Tom (who are top brass) are former touts who are now exploiting what looks like a more lucrative and popular act of theft.

Lets face the fact.They are causing more troubles for the country since different countries are involved that means we are not safe by their negative behaviours.They should stop it. The millions they are extorting from foreigners will be able to provide water, good living,good roads but it doesn't work out like that. The money goes to their different pockets so is wrong. They should desist cos if the head of state gives authority to wipe them off hhhhe that one will not take them l week to finish them.

I disagree with this they are fighting for the welfare of their neglected people!!!! If they were fighting for themselves the hostages would be killed for ransoms!!!