Mrs. Augustina Douglas-Ayam
THE
Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta has said that contrary
to claims by the family of the released sister of President Goodluck
Jonathan’s aide, Mrs. Augusta Douglas-Ayam, the sum of $200,000 (N32m)
was paid as ransom.
MEND in a statement signed by its
spokesperson, Jomo Gbomo, on Saturday, said though the victim was
released unharmed, she developed high blood pressure and malaria while
in captivity.
The militant group also said it was
responsible for the destruction of feeder pipelines and well heads in
Bayelsa, Rivers and Delta states from October 20, 2013 to October 26.
The group also claimed it had engaged
some members of the Joint Military Task Force in a shootout and killed
three soldiers and one policeman contrary to the statement issued by the
JTF that armed robbers ambushed its men.
“The sister of Mr. Oronto Douglas,
special adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Research and Strategy
was released unharmed as we promised. She however had developed high
blood pressure and malaria during her captivity.
“Contrary to the claim the family made
in a press statement that no ransom was paid, The Movement for the
Emancipation of the Niger Delta can authoritatively confirm that the
sum of $200,000 was paid as ransom.
“The Movement for the Emancipation of
the Niger Delta now has agents inside every oil company. In neighbouring
Rivers State, on that same day that the Warri Refinery was sabotaged, a
Joint Task Force escort gun boat was engaged in a shootout in the
Andoni Local Government area.”
It stated that contrary to the report
given by the Nigerian Army spokesman, the soldiers were not ambushed but
confronted and the attackers were not armed robbers but MEND fighters.
It said the attack resulted in the killing of three soldiers and a
policeman.
MEND decried the action of some
ex-militants who had been paid to declare that militancy ended in 2009,
saying, “As they continue to delude themselves, display their ignorance
and irrelevance, the region, as can be seen by the world is in turmoil
that can no longer be hidden.”
PUNCH
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