The Threat To Bomb Mosques, Hajj Camps

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) recently signified its intention to commence bombing of mosques, hajj camps and other Islamic institutions in the country, from May 31. Spokesman of the group, Jomo Gbomo, warned the nation via an e-mailed statement that the militants will also assassinate clerics that propagate doctrines of hatred and bomb large congregations at Islamic events in a campaign that has been code-named “Operation Barbarossa.”
If MEND makes good these threats, there will be a dangerous expansion of the theatre of terrorism in the country, with dire consequences for national security and unity.
These threats came barely one week after the same group claimed responsibility for the killing of 12 policemen along the creek of Azuazuama in Bayelsa State, and the bombing of an oil facility belonging to the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC).
The militants, however, said they would not carry out the threatened attacks if the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Catholic Church in Nigeria and Henry Okah, one of its leaders who was recently jailed by a South African court for terrorism, intervene in the resolution of its dispute with the Nigerian authorities.
Surprisingly, MEND said the planned attack against Islamic targets is to save Christianity from extinction in Nigeria, and, it would be stopped if there is an assurance of cessation of hostilities against Christians in their worship places by the Boko Haram leadership.
Although the Joint Task Force (JTF) in charge of security in the Niger Delta has described the latest attacks and threats of MEND as the handiwork of criminals using the name of the militant group to spread panic in the Niger Delta, we admonish the security agencies to take this fresh threat seriously.
It is imperative that they do everything possible to prevent the attacks, as Niger Delta militants have been known to make good their threats in the past. We advise MEND against the plan to bomb mosques and other Islamic targets. Such action is clearly inexpedient to the quest for security in the country.
By such attacks, MEND will simply be playing into the hands of Boko Haram, which may like its campaign of violence to degenerate into a conflict between Christians and Muslims in the country.