As Avengers blow up NNPC, Chevron, NPDC oil facilities
WARRI—THE temporary cessation of hostilities in the Niger Delta region broke down, weekend, as Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, blew up five oil and gas installations following its displeasure with the manner the Federal Government was managing and breaching the peace process.
A source disclosed that as far as Niger Delta Avengers was concerned, the Federal Government was not serious about peace in the region, as it had said nothing concrete about its planned dialogue with stakeholders and was breaching the warning by the militant group not to repair damaged pipelines while the window for negotiations was open.
The militant group did not give any reason why it started fresh attacks, but confirmed in several tweets on its twitter handle that it blew up five different crude oil trunk lines and wells belonging to Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Chevron Nigeria Limited, and Nigeria Petroleum Development Company, NPDC in Delta State.
Reacting to the resumption of hostilities, yesterday, the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, described same as regrettable, but criticized President Muhammadu Buhari, who it said did not take any practical step toward addressing the issues since he returned from his medical trip abroad.
Meanwhile, a new group in the region, Niger Delta Movement for Socio-Economy Inclusion, NDMSEI, yesterday, picked holes in the recent stakeholders meeting organised by the Delta State governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, saying that the meeting failed to address key issues affecting the ethnic nationalities in the region.
Avengers confirmed on it twitter handle that it bombed two major NNPC crude oil trunk lines to Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company, WRPC, Warri, on Friday at 9.15 p.m., adding: “At 11:26p.m., on Saturday @Niger Delta Avengers blew up two NPDC major crude trunk lines close to Batan flow station in Delta State.”
The group stated: “At 11:26p.m., on Saturday @Niger Delta Avengers blew up two NPDC major crude trunk lines close to Batan flow station in Delta State and at 1:15a.m., on Sunday @Niger Delta Avengers blew up two major Chevron Oil Wells. Well 7 and Well 8, close to Abiteye flow station in Delta State.” Congratulating its fighters for a good job, it said in yet another tweet: “All five operations were carried out by @Niger Delta Avengers strike team.”
A security source, who corroborated attacks, told Vanguard that Chevron officials were already aware and would visit the attacked facilities in some hours to ascertain the extent of damage done to them.
FG not ready— Source
On the renewed attacks, ex-militant leader told Vanguard: “After reviewing the Federal Government’s position since the expiration of its two-week ceasefire, it was obvious that President Buhari on return from his short vacation in London was not interested in meeting the demands of the Niger Delta Avengers and other militants.
“He merely appealed to the militants in the name of God to stop the bombings, which was suspended even before he left for his vacation. He did not put anything on the table, said nothing about the expired ceasefire or way forward on the dialogue, which his Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Emmanuel Kachikwu, had gone round talking to stakeholders about.
“What is clear is that the Federal Government is only bidding for time, while the Joint Task Force, JTF, in the Niger Delta, “Operation Pulo Shield” was disbanded and replaced with “Operation Delta Safe”, the Department of State Services, DSS, on its part is framing up members of the Niger Delta Avengers,” he said.
culled from vangard online
i hope the ceasefire is true
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