US-BASED RIGHTS GROUP CONDEMNS YAR'ADUA, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S HANDLING OF NIGER DELTA CRISIS

A United States-based human rights group, NIGERIANS IN AMERICA SOLIDARITY WITH MOVEMENT FOR THE EMANCIPATION OF NIGER DELTA (NIASOMEND, has launched a strindent criticism of President Umaru Yar'Adua and the federal government's handling of the Niger Delta crisis, and urged the authorities to find a lasting solution to the conflagration.

Mr Moshood Ademola Fayemimo, Protem President, NIASOMEND-USA, emailed a copy of the group's press statement to xclusivenigeria.com yesterday, in which he posited that the solution to the problem lies in the government's recognition that the oil producing Niger Delta region has a right to control the resources under its soil, and so for that matter, does every region in the federation.

Here is the full text of the press statement:

The Nigerians in America Solidarity with MEND or NIASOMEND for short is an international organization established few months ago to liaise with other Nigerians in the Western Hemisphere comprising the United States of America, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean with the mission of providing support in whatever forms to the Niger Delta Liberation Group –MEND-in their commitment to fight against injustice, economic exploitation and environmental degradation of their lands by the Government of Nigeria in cahoots with greedy multi-national oil corporations.

We are a group of Nigerian professionals resident in North America ready to provide logistic, monetary, diplomatic and intelligence supports to all freedom-loving ethnic groups in Nigeria desirous of commencing armed struggle against the Government of Nigeria so that the Southern Nigerian Nation will be liberated from the internal colonialism of Northern Nigeria to total freedom and independence.

We have been watching with keen interest the current struggles of the people of the Niger Delta through the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) and other patriotic citizens of the Niger Delta to rescue their God-given land and its abundant oil wealth from the predatory forces of the Northern-led, Hausa-Fulani-controlled Armed Forces of Nigeria.

We commend and salute these brave men and women of Niger Delta for mobilizing their people to resist with their blood the continued exploitation of their land by an army of occupation.

We condemn the current military invasion of the oil-producing areas of South Eastern Nigeria by the Hausa/Fulani-led and dominated Armed Forces of Nigeria which have unleashed a reign of terror and caused havoc and misery on defenseless civilians. These poor men, women and children have been suffering neglect under successive Nigerian Governments since Britain forcefully united the North and South of Nigeria in 1914 including the current illegitimate government of Mr. Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. The people of Niger Delta have no electricity, drinkable water, roads, schools and other basic necessities of life even though their land produces 95% of Nigerian oil revenues which are being stolen and misappropriated by Nigerian politicians.

As we continue to monitor the situation in the Niger Delta of Nigeria, we hasten to add that the current struggle is not for the peoples of Niger Delta and the Oil-producing Areas of Southern Nigeria alone but other equally marginalized ethnic groups who are clamoring for a true federation.

We call on the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), the Afenifere Renewal Group and other progressive groups in Southern Nigeria to offer all logistic, material and human supports to the Niger Delta People in their current struggle. We call on true Yoruba sons and daughters both in Nigeria and in the Diaspora to stand up and join the current struggle to liberate Southern Nigeria from internal colonialism by joining NIASOMEND.

We call on the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), and Ohanze Ndigbo to liaise with MEND, the Reformed Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (RNDPVF), Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC), Ijaw Youth Congress (IYC) and other progressive forces toward the liberation of our people from a cabal that is using the “Nigerian Armed Forces” to repress and oppress Southern Nigerians. This is the time to unite.

We call on all progressive and forward-looking Nigerians across the globe desirous of seeing a nation where no person, group of people, one ethnic group and or a cabal will continue to covet the natural and human resources of Nigeria to seize this unique opportunity to offer assistance to MEND and other liberation movements in Nigeria by joining NIASOMEND.

We call on all Nigerians both at home and abroad to support the legitimate rights of the Peoples of the Niger Delta, Eastern and South Western Nigeria to determine their future and the futures of their children, grandchildren and generations yet unborn to build a nation where there will be Justice, Equity, Respect for the Rule of Law, Freedom of Worship and other inalienable Rights accorded decent human beings by Nature, responsive and responsible governments all over the world.

On our part, we at NIASOMEND pledge to assist MEND and other ethnic groups in Southern Nigeria in any way, shape or form in their desire for freedom and determination to build a prosperous, just and an egalitarian Southern Nigerian society.

Sincerely,

MOSHOOD ADEMOLA FAYEMIWO (ABD)

Pro Tem President, NIASOMEND-USA.

“If a man (woman) has not discovered something worthwhile to die for; he (she) is not fit to live” -Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr."