Nigeria Rebels Want Soyinka To Mediate

The main militant group in Southern Nigeria, the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger-Delta has named Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka among three others to negotiate with the government of that country on their behalf. The announcement was made less than a week to the expiration of the amnesty deadline. MEND has however predicted that unrest will likely continue after Sunday�s deadline. "Some eminent Nigerians have graciously accepted to dialogue on behalf of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, with the Federal Government of Nigeria whenever the government realizes the need to adopt serious, meaningful dialogue as a means to halting the violent agitation in the Niger Delta". MEND announced in an email statement. The group said further that the mediators would "have our mandate to oversee a transparent and proper MEND disarmament process that conforms with international standards as the current disarmament process is flawed and lacks integrity" according to Nigerian Vanguard newspaper. The Nobel price winner Soyinka and former Chief of General staff and retired naval Vice Admiral Akhigbe are among the four man team. MEND had earlier announced a 60 days ceasefire on July 15th and later extended the truce to another one month in response to the Federal Government amnesty offer which took effect on August 6th. Whiles some militants in that area have embraced the amnesty programs others are still reluctant to do so. Nigeria�s Defence Minister Godwin Abbe told newsmen last week that they are ruling out any chance for an extension after the amnesty expires on Sunday. MEND said they are fighting for a fair share of their country�s oil wealth but the group have been disrupting oil supply in that country therefore refusing the country to loss millions of dollars.