Nigerian Gov't Spreading Rumour In Ghana Against Niger Delta

Warri, Nigeria -- Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has said the Nigerian Federal Government deliberately misinformed the government and people of Ghana through Nigerian Commission in Ghana about the Niger Delta struggle.

The group alleged that the Nigerian High Commission in Ghana has been mandated by the government of Nigeria to spread panic in that country, to erode the understanding the people of Ghana have for the legitimate fight of the people of the Niger Delta against decades of oppression by the Nigerian state and western oil companies.

MEND spokesman, Gbomo Jomo, wondered why the government should peddle such rumour in Ghana, a country known for credible poll and respect for the rule of law.

He queried: “Why Ghana? Ghana is recognised as one of the few countries in West Africa where the rule of law is upheld; a democratic nation capable of resisting the bullying of the Nigerian government, very unlike dictatorships such as Angola.”

According to MEND, Nigerians escaping persecution from the “lawless governments” in Nigeria have very often sought refuge in Ghana to the chagrin of the Nigerian government.

MEND said: “In order to make the Ghanaian government malleable to its future demands for extradition, the government of Nigeria recently decided to spread fear in the Ghanaian oil industry and brand any one who seeks refuge in Ghana in the future a member of MEND seeking to target the Ghanaian oil industry. This same tactic was employed by the Nigerian government in 2009 when it dubiously alerted Western embassies in Lagos of alleged plans by the militants to attack western embassies. This dubious alert was then dismissed by all western embassies.

“The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta is fighting against a glaring injustice. The land of the Niger Delta alone has been confiscated by the government from its owners and distributed to western oil companies and a few Nigerians from outside our region. We have been declared landless by the Nigerian government, yet without benefit.”

Therefore, MEND called on the government and people of Ghana to “discountenance the unintelligent and baseless claim of the Nigerian High Commissioner, Musiliu Obanikoro, intended to whip up xenophobic sentiments against the Ijaw and other indigenous tribes of the Niger Delta legitimately visiting or residing in Ghana”.