/ 11 January 2008

Group claims responsibility for Nigeria tanker blaze

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend) on Friday claimed responsibility for the blaze that started earlier in the day on a tanker berthed in Port Harcourt, the country's main oil hub. "Mend confirms that its Freelance Freedom Fighters working inside the oil industry detonated a remote explosive device," the group said in a statement.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend) on Friday claimed responsibility for the blaze that started earlier in the day on a tanker berthed in Port Harcourt, the country’s main oil hub.

“Mend confirms that its Freelance Freedom Fighters working inside the oil industry detonated a remote explosive device that caused the fire on a tanker in Port Harcourt … today,” the group said in a statement to the press.

Mend underlined the difficulty the Nigerian government has in fighting an ennemy “that is within and cannot be seen”.

By mid-afternoon, the fire, which started early on Friday, had been extinguished but smoke was still rising from the tanker, a Port Harcourt resident said.

Mend commended its agents “inside the military and secret service” for passing on valuable information and resources.

It called on all citizens of the Niger Delta to do their bit for the freedom of the Niger Delta.

“We call on all oppressed citizens of the Niger Delta to do your own bit in your own way to regain freedom and win the fight … even if it means poisoning the drinks and food sold to the soldiers that rape our women and brutalise and kill our youths, just do it”, the statement said. — AFP