This Ijaw people will never get, will they? Trust this islamist influenced hausa government to your own peril. I forsee the ceasefire beig called off and the oil war starting again.


This Day (Lagos)

25 September 2008
Posted to the web 25 September 2008

Chuks Okocha
Abuja

Officials of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) and Ijaw Leader, Chief Edwin Clark yesterday accused the federal government and the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta of breaching the terms and conditions of the ceasefire declared Monday by the militants to stop the 'oil war'.

Addressing a joint press conference at the Nicon Hilton Hotel, Abuja , Clark and officials of MEND accused the federal government and the military task force of attacking the camp of one of the leaders of the militants, Ateke Tom.


Clark who spoke first said, "news just came to us that the JTF is attacking the camp of Ateke Tom, inspite of the ceasefire. The JTF is fully aware of the truce being negotiated, but decided to attack again Ateke Tom's camp unprovoked , far away from Port Harcourt with helicopters, killing and damaging properties belonging to the militant leader . The militants have therefore decided threatened to defend themselves as they have been doing in the past."

Clark said further that "it is ridiculous and fraudulent for the military to lie to the federal government and Nigerians that it was not at war with the militants and that none of their soldiers or oil installations have been destroyed by the militants

"We are alerting the whole world that the militants should not be blamed for any action of retaliation. What is happening is that the federal government is not in control of the JTF or that they are lying to Nigerians,"he said.

Clark who lamented the effects of the continued military hostilities in the Niger Delta called on government to caution the support which the Governor of Rivers state., Hon Chibuike Amaechi is giving to the JTF, stressing that military option would never solve the Niger Delta crisis.

He also accused the JTF of using the option of the military tactics in the Niger Delta to engage in illegal oil bunkering.

Speaking also one of the officials of MEND who was seated right beside Clark said that they adopted the ceasefire to give peace a chance,affirming that the latest attack on the camps of Ateke Tom is like salt on an injury, stating, "We will always find a way to defend ourselves whenever we are attacked."

Phock Ateke. JTF should root him out. If MEND is supporting Ateke on this, then I am very dissapointed.

I hate to say this but Edwin Clark sometimes makes ridicule of serious issues.Ateke Tom is not part of MEND.He is a murderer,bunkerer and wicked man who has ruined many innocent children with drugs and deceit.God will surely judge him.

Don't mind Edwin Clark. It seems he is getting senile. He is exactly the type of leader that has failed us from time immemorial. He was there during colonialism and he was there when successive governments cut our derivation and introduced the Petroleum and Land acts. Even when Isaac Boro and Saro-Wiwa stood up, he said nothing. It is only now when the youths picked up guns that he has mouth to talk. He is capitalising on his role as some sort of peacemaker between FG and the militants. I cannot believe he is here defending Ateke. Someone needs to give him his pension.

Did the FG agree to any ceasefire?

I Think the truth is about been revealed on the Niger Delta Saga.
MEND and all other rebels in Niger Delta are not at all fighting for their people.
Rather, their fight is for their pockets.
I suspect Clark may be one of the Oil Bunkerer who recruited this boys to protect their booming businez.
Imagine how the boyz gets their weapons if not for the sponsor of these bunkerers.

Ask clerk, Odili, Ibori etal. They know what they use the militants for.

But, ask Clark more. He started this ugly biz long ago, but he's 80years now and still not tired.

GOD WILL JUDGE THEM ALL.

There is no group called MEND

MEND is a loose coalition of groups, which have no influence or control on its constituents parts. So when MEND says it is declaring a ceasefire but can not account for other groups who may attack you know what a dodgy ceasefire that is.
Ateke Tom may declare a ceasefire, Cynthia Whyte and Jomo Gbomo will tell us MEND has declared ceasefire
but Soboma George or Prince Igodo or Dagogo may continue hostilities, so what use is a ceasefire in such a climate?

I think the FG was right, there is no need for ceasefire as there was no war in the first place.