Nigeria - Mend ceasefire

Mend distances itself from rebels who handed over arms in amnesty deal

Article published on the 2009-08-23 Latest update 2009-08-23 15:57 TU

Guns surrendered by Mend rebels, 20 August 2009
(Photo: Reuters)

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend) rebel group says it will resume attacks against oil operations in Nigeria next month, despite hundreds of rebels surrounding their arms to the government Saturday as part of a 60-day amnesty plan negotiated two weeks ago.

Correspondent Ben Shemang in Abuja says that there is a split in the rebel movement. One faction handed over their weapons Saturday, “but the other faction of Mend says that the guns surrendered were not those of Mend,” he explained. They claim the weapons were given to the rebels to be handed over in a public ceremony.

"The ongoing amnesty programme by the government of Nigeria seems to have achieved separating those who still have the zeal to fight for our freedom from those who were in it for the money," said Mend in a statement, disassociating itself from the handover.

The group says it will start attacking oil operations again on 15 September, at the end of a 60-day ceasefire declared in mid-July for peace talks.

“They are threatening more violence because they suspect that the government is not too sincere in the amnesty deal,” said Shemang.

One of the 25 leaders who handed over weapons Saturday was Ebikabowei Victor Ben, known as Boyloaf, who gave a flak jacket with the Mend logo to a senior government official

"As chairman of Mend in Bayelsa state, I hand over this jacket as a proclamation that we have disarmed and stand by our word,” he said. “We expect the president to stand by his word and develop the Niger Delta."

Shemang says that the amnesty may stick, as Boyloaf is known as a ruthless warrior.

“For him to have surrender such massive and assorted weapons indicates that the amnesty deal is working,” he said.

“This group that has claimed the amnesty is insistent that the majority of those who are suffering in the Niger delta are the children who are not going to school because of strikes, the old women and men who are weak and their areas have been turned into theatres of war,” he added.

“In fact, the men who surrendered actually apologised to people for inflicting pains on them.”