Militant group MEND say they are in talks with FG

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) says it is currently in talks with the Federal government. The group made this known in a statement it released yesterday July 24th. The statement in part reads;
“The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) wishes to confirm that indeed it has been in preliminary talks with the Federal Government through oil companies and law-enforcement agencies as revealed by President Buhari on Thursday, July 21, 2016.
These preliminary talks are the precursor to a wider dialogue between the Federal Government and the MEND Aaron 2 peace initiative which will seek to find solutions to the short, medium and long-term future of the Niger Delta region.” MEND in its statement said the government made it clear that it would not negotiate with criminals such as Niger Delta Avengers, internet-based ‘militant’ groups such as Joint Revolutionary Council, the Ultimate Warriors, pirates, pipeline vandals, oil thieves, commercial kidnappers, waterway robbers, political thugs amongst others.