Dear MEND,

I chose to write to you through this medium because I believe Gbomo Jomo or the persons that operate under that code name are either members of NL or at least frequent visitors. Please excuse me if you dont like an open letter. On issues like this, I prefer an open letter.


I've been uncomfortable since I learnt from Premium times newspaper that your boys are bent on resuming fresh attacks come Friday. Though I know your planned attack will be on the FG, but the havoc and the corresponding effect of your attacks on the masses in particular makes me shudder. I'm also greatly concerned about the ripple effect this attack might generate. Maybe you dont know, some Savages in this country see MEND as somewhat a role model. Some claim BH boys learnt their now perfected art of bombing from you. Some others opine that kidnapping which used to be an exclusive stratagem of you and your brother militant groups has now been taken as a full time job by some miscreants in the East. In the light of these facts, Please I suggest you apply caution and restrain from using any dangerous strategy.


Words on the streets are that MEND is not particularly happy that BH boys have pushed them into obscurity. With their absurd agenda & a style borrowed from you, they(BH) are constantly making the headlines besides getting mentions in international discourse. A feat MEND attempted without much success. They say the real truth behind your planned fresh attack is to reclaim your pride of place on the front pages of our national dailies. This is ridiculous isn't it? Well, I doubt if I would have to think deeply to know what to believe because when I look at the reasons you give for resuming attacks, I Iaugh.


I heard thousand of militants including those from your ranks that embraced amnesty have either been trained or are currently being trained on various decent crafts abroad. The amnesty package, I learnt also comes with a reasonable stipend that comes in monthly, a previlege millions of unemployed Nigerian youths can only wish for. I'm wondering why you want to turn your back on amnesty, what your boys & other militants have come to accept as a vital dynamo for the realization of their struggle. Is that you know what they dont know or you are yet to understand that your region needs bulldozers & and not armoured tanks?. You said you want to unleash mayhem on the FG for their complicity(with the SA government) in the trial of your leader Mr Henry Okah. Well, to be frank, I doubt if your 'plan' will in the long run change the stand of the FG much remember he admitted he broke the law. After several years of economic sabotage, kidnapping & killing of Nigerian Soldiers, Someone would have to bear the brunt of the sins of others especially now the others have been cleansed on the altar of amnesty. It is unfortunate that the lot fell on Mr Okah. But there's hope. Since the present administration now holds a reputation for granting pardon to coup plotters, persons of sodomic sexuality, thieves/fugitives, a man convicted for treason could as well be added to that infamous list in the near future. Please reconsider your plan, infact I think you should make the Present administration's run beyond 2015 a top priority. That's the key towards securing a space in that infamous list.



Barely 2 years ago, your people massively voted to elect a man, Goodluck Jonathan, your own brother, to be the president of this country. It is their wish that the blood thirty miscreants operating in the north be expunged for Jonathan to rule under conducive decorum so as to accomplish his transformation agenda in your region & other parts of the country. The welfare/wish of the Niger Delta people, you always maintained, is the fulcrum of your agitation. Why jettison their welfare/wish now for the gratification of carnage loving few? Your plan is capable of shooting the long wish/desire of your people for transformation into illusory.


Nigerians are weary of violence and bloodletting. We are weary of kidnapping, economic sabotage whether in the form of oil bunkering, corruption, pipeline vandalization or money laudering. Anything that would denegerate our society into such barbarity is considered as an 'Enemy of the people'. Many Nigerians like me still see MEND as a 'Militant group' instead of 'Terrorist group' which some say is a more suitable appellation. In the wake of fresh attacks and when popular the sentiments fizzle away, 'We the people' will unanimously adopt the former appellation for MEND,the FG & International community will follow suit. This has dire consequences considering the Big Sam and its allies' stance on terrorism.


Since the inception of the democratic era, the elected officials in each Niger Delta state have been recieving several billions of dollars in allocation/revenue. Infact more money started pouring in the time you & other militant groups heightened your agitation. When was the last time MEND looked into the account books of the Niger Delta states? Does the level of development corroborate the amount of money recieved? What measures have you taken to ensure that the 13% derivation fund is put to maximum use? I ask these questions because I want you to see the need to look 'inwards'. Between 1999 - 2007, You & other militant groups were in creeks struggling to get emancipation for your region while matching JTF fire for fire, a certain Mr James Ibori was in another part of the same region looting dry the treasury of the state he was governing. No be case of baboon the work, money dey chop?


Thank you for patiently reading through my letter. I earnestly hope you will find my views helpful.


Ýours in the struggle,
IBnatty McDonald.
[ibnwachukwu@yahoo.com].

I greatly support their resumption of hostilities if d federal govt goes ahead to grant amnesty to d boko boys. Secondly, hw come Henry Okah is jailed in a foreign country for 13yrs for a similar offence which a boko haram member committed and is only jailed for three years.

I think the reason is not far fetched. Mr Okah is the pioneer and the masterminder. The BH guy that got 3yrs was merely an errand boy. I bet that Shekarau guy would more bag than 15yrs any time he is caught.

MEND has everything to lose if they resume hostilities.