Emma Amaize, Jimitota Onoyume and Daniel Idonor

10 August 2009
Port Harcourt — THE crack in the rank of militants further deepened, yesterday, with a statement from the Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC), an umbrella body of militants in the region which distanced the body from the recent action and pronouncements of the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND).

The statement signed by Cynthia Whyte said some persons within MEND had become self-centered in the name of pursuing the struggle for the region. The statement which noted the right of Boyloaf to embrace the amnesty by the Federal Government reaffirmed the commitment of the JRC to the struggle of the region

"The JRC has no relationship whatsoever with the 'entity' tagged Gbomo Jomo. Our campaign is not driven by the despicable penchant of self seeking elements to arrogate to themselves virtual powers. We will not allow the struggle for the liberation and emancipation of the Niger Delta to be wholly hijacked by self-seeking elements. MEND is a clearing house. Jomo and some others hold the key to some of the storage boxes within that clearing house.

"We do not have any relationship whatsoever with that MEND even though we have a real relationship with commanders within its virtual structure.

"General Boyloaf is an outstanding hero of the Ijaw and Niger Delta struggle. The attempt to malign him and rubbish his name is the handiwork of a dubiously ungrateful cabal who have soiled their hands with filthy lucre which they have collected from a presidential aide.

"It is the height of ingratitude for anyone to try to undermine General Boyloaf. If he wants amnesty like any other, he should go for it. What is good for the goose is also good for the gander."...
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