Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Nigeria in Meltdown as Terror Group Issue Chilling Threat Before Bombing Shell and Agip Installations


Published in Oil Industry News on Saturday, 28 May 2016

Graphic for News Item: Nigeria in Meltdown as Terror Group Issue Chilling Threat Before Bombing Shell and Agip Installations
– The Niger Delta Avengers have blown up trunk lines belonging to shell and Agip
– NDA’s latest attack was carried out in the early hours of Saturday, May 28 
– The group has threatened to continue their vandalism until their demands are met
– The group sent a tweet just before their latest attacks warning that "something big was away to happen"
– Shell ban all staff movements
There is tension in the Niger Delta, the Niger Delta Avengers in their determination to get the government to meet their demands, have blown up trunk lines belonging to Agip and Shell.
NDA struck early Saturday, May 28, in Bayelsa state, blowing up trunk lines belonging to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) and Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC). 
Vanguard reports that the group in a tweet revealed that its strike teams, in the early hours of today blew up trunk lines belonging to NAOC and SPDC. 
“At About 2.15am on Saturday the @NDAvengers blow up Nembe 1, 2 and 3 Brass to Bonny Trunk Line belonging to Agip and Shell,” the NDA stated in a tweet. 
The NDA has threatened to do something that will shock the whole world. In a series of tweets, the militants revealed that they blew up another oil pipeline belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on Thursday, May 26, which they claimed was heavily guarded by the Nigerian military. 
The group also blasted the Niger Delta stakeholders over the meetings they held in the region, stating that they want a sovereign state and not pipeline contracts.
In a related development, soldiers invaded Oporoza, the traditional headquarters of Gbaramatu kingdom, at about 1.52 am, this morning and were still laying siege to the community as at 8am. 
The soldiers, who came in no fewer than seven gunboats, allegedly beat up residents, including an octogenarian community leader, Chief Atiti Mala, with the butt of a gun.
“They were asking the helpless villagers to produce former militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, and members of the Niger Delta Avengers,” a youth leader told the newspaper on phone.
Ijaw leader, Chief Godspower Gbenekama, who confirmed the attack on Oporoza, said: “Information available to me is that the military invaded Oporoza again in the early hours of today. As I am speaking to you, they are still there molesting people.” 
“They have arrested many persons and villagers have fled into the bush. This is wrong, they are going to worsen issues with what they are doing. I posted on Facebook that they invaded Oporoza and a military man called me to tell me that they would deal with me. 
“We are not safe, we have said it over and over that Gbaramatu people are not synonymous with Niger Delta Avengers, they should leave my people along. If they want to kill me, let them go ahead, but I will continue to say the truth, why are they harassing my people, they should harass the militants whose activities we condemn,” he added.