In a statement issued on Saturday, the group said the so-called “ultimatum and threat” did not emanate from it, and strongly advised the public and the media to disregard what it called the “false and fabricated” statement.
“Since our statement of endorsement of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Presidential candidate, General Mohammadu Buhari, several attempts have been made to discredit our group and statements by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and some paid agents of the government,” it noted.
The statement added that the “Ex-Generals” mentioned in the false and fabricated statement in the Thisday publication are inconsequential to MEND, but that it gives an insight into how a group of thugs is being used for political purposes. It therefore urged the media and the general public to be aware.
“The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) feels very disappointed that a credible Media outlet like Thisdaynews, failed to display professionalism by verifying the authenticity of a statement before publication,” the statement concluded.