MEND orders Julius Berger
to quit Abuja
From FEMI FOLARANMI, Yenagoa
Tuesday, August
5, 2008
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Photo:
Sun News Publishing |
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The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND)
has issued a one-week ultimatum to the construction giant,
Julius Berger to vacate the Federal Capital Territory (FCT),
Abuja or risk deadly attacks on its personnel. According to
the group, its directive should not be difficult for Julius
Berger to obey since it had decided to leave areas where its
staff were being harassed.
MEND explained the incident that happened in Abuja last Friday
where an irate mob burnt down its vehicle was not different
from what it suffered in the Niger Delta region, adding, however,
that if it was in the Niger Delta, soldiers would have been
called in and the mob would have been branded militants.
The group said it expected Julius Berger which had benefitted
enormously from the oil in the Niger Delta region to apply
the same policy of leaving troubled areas when it recently
closed down its operations in the Niger Delta.
The statement reads in part: “The Movement for the Emancipation
of the Niger Delta (MEND) serves notice today, Monday, August
4, 2008 to German construction firm, Julius Berger Plc to
vacate all project sites in the Federal Capital Territory
of Abuja effective 0001 hrs on Monday, August, 11, 2008.
“In line with their policy of withdrawing from areas
of harassment in Nigeria, this should not be a difficult directive
after the incident on Friday, August 01, 2008 when one of
its vehicles was burnt by an irate mob in Abuja.
“Had this same scenario occurred in the Niger Delta
region, the army would have been called upon to open fire
on the mob and then brand them as militants.
“MEND expects Julius Berger, a company which has benefited
tremendously from the Niger Delta region where its crude oil
was used as barter payment in most cases for the building
of Abuja, to apply the same policy of leaving troubled areas
as it did when it recently quit the Niger Delta region.
“Failure to vacate its staff from construction sites
and halt all on-going projects in the FCT, Abuja on the deadline
will result in unprecedented deadly attacks on the expatriate
staff of Julius Berger inside Abuja and other parts of the
country until they comply.”
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