MEND dismisses threat to bomb Lagos judges, relatives

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has described the threat by an unknown militant group to bomb Lagos judges and their relatives as empty.

It described the group claiming to be MEND as imposters that should not be taken seriously.
In an online statement yesterday by its spokesperson, MEND declared that there was nobody bearing ‘Commander Wilberforce’ in the authentic group.



It said: “MEND wishes to dissociate itself from an impostor and self-acclaimed ‘Commander’ of MEND, going by the name of ‘Commander Wilberforce,’ who claimed to speak for MEND, by issuing threat of possible attacks on Lagos judges.

“This threat was circulated in some sections of the media on Friday, 12 September, 2014.
“As far as we know, this person (‘Commander Wilberforce’) does not exist and there is no collaboration of any sort with this imaginary individual, as claimed in the misleading statement.
“MEND strongly urges the media to disregard any such statement, as it did not emanate from MEND.

“The MEND has not and will never threaten any judicial institution, for carrying out its duties.”
In the threat, ‘Commander Wilberforce’ accused some of the judges of the Lagos High Court of not signing letters of administration for ‘MEND’s late members’ estates.

The judicial officers were given 12 days to issue the letters or be bombed along with their relatives.
‘Commander Wilberforce’ also accused the judges of continually failing to sign the letters of administration, many years after they had been approved and published.

‘Commander Wilberforce’ also threatened to publish in coming weeks, the names and addresses of all the probate judges.