by Rachel Ogbu

The Movement for Emancipation of Niger Delta, MEND have said they destroyed  Oil Well 62 owned by the Shell Petroleum Development Company in Ewellesuo, Nembe Local Government of Bayelsa State as part of its Operation Hurricane Exodus to rescue Christians from Boko Haram insurgency.

MEND’s spokesman, Gbomo Jomo, said in a statement released yesterday that they were ready to launch new attacks to save Christians from Boko Haram violence.

Operation Barbarossa as MEND calls it would begin on May 31 and would target mosques and Islamic clerics, the statement continues.

The statement reads,

“On behalf of the hapless Christian population in Nigeria, The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta will from Friday, May 31, 2013, embark on a crusade to save Christianity in Nigeria from annihilation.

“The bombings of mosques, hajj camps, Islamic institutions, large congregations in Islamic events and assassinations of clerics that propagate doctrines of hate, will form the core mission of this crusade code named Operation Barbarossa.”

The Punch reports:

The attack on the well head occurred barely a week after MEND claimed responsibility for the killing of 12 policemen along the Azuzuama waterways in Southern Ijaw Local Government of the state.

Before the militant group claimed responsibility for the oil well damage, the community had raised the alarm over massive oil spillage from well 62.

Members of the community reportedly accused SPDC of failing to clamp the spill points to avoid further environmental damage.

The Chairman of the Oil and Gas Committee of Nembe Kingdom, Mr. Nengi James, said he appealed to the people to remain calm.

“Since I became Chairman of the Oil and Gas Committee in the kingdom, I have witnessed over 10 massive oil spillages. And all these spillages have never been cleaned up by the oil company.”

Meanwhile, the Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta codenamed Operation Pulo Shield has debunked claims by the MEND that it was responsible for renewed hostilities in the region.

JTF’s Media Coordinator, Lt. Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, said “impostors and a bundle of never-do-wells” were hiding under MEND, which,  he said had gone into extinction after the amnesty deal, to perpetrate criminal activities in the region.

He  also asked members of the public to discountenace claims by MEND that it had designed a special operation in sympathy for the Christians.