Tag Archives: Niger Delta avengers

Niger Delta Avengers Claim Attack On Nembe Pipeline

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Niger Delta Avengers 9NDA) have claimed an attack on Nembe Creek Trunk Line pipeline in Bayelsa State. The pipeline is operated by Agip, Oando and Shell.

The militant group said on Tuesday that the attack was carried out as a response to ‘Operation Sharkbite’ recently launched by the Nigerian Navy in the Niger Delta to curb piracy and enhance the security of critical oil facilities in the region.

“At about 11.45pm November 15, 2016, our Elite Strike Team 03 struck Nembe 1, 2 and 3 truck line operated by Agip, Oando and Shell with supply capacity of 300,000 barrel per day to Bonny export terminal in Bayelsa State,” Niger Delta Avengers’ spokesman Mudoch Agbinibo said in a statement.
Agbinibo insisted that ‘Operation Sharkbite’ was an affront to the people of the region, claiming the operation was instigated by a few politicians who wanted to undermine the effort of “the Nigerian state to addressing the legitimate demands of the people of the Niger Delta.”

According to Agbinibo, ‘Operation Sharkbite’ “a conspiracy to bloat the accounts of some security contractors and conflict merchants within the party structure of the APC.”

The group, which in August said it would halt hostilities to pursue talks with the government, said on Sunday it had resumed attacks because of the continued presence of the army in the region. Earlier this month, the president met local community leader to hear their grievances.

The NDA, which wants more energy wealth to go to the swampland region which is the source of most of Nigeria’s oil, said on its website its strike team attacked the Nembe 1, 2 and 3 branches of the pipeline.

But Agbinibo said his group was interested in a genuine peace deal. “We want the peace with honour,” he said. “We don’t want the Peace of Our Time.”

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http://guardian.ng/news/niger-delta-avengers-claim-attack-on-nembe-pipeline/

How We Secured Ceasefire With Niger Delta Avengers, Others- Dialogue Team

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The Niger Delta Dialogue Contact Group, NDDCG, headed by King Alfred Diete-Spiff says it will consolidate on the achievements made from meetings held with stakeholders.

A member of the group, Nkoyo Toyo, disclosed this at a press briefing at the end of its third working meeting in Port Harcourt.

She said the meeting reviewed the general security challenges in the Niger Delta and afforded participants opportunity to make valuable contributions on strategies toward attaining sustainable peace and development in the region.

Ms. Toyo, who said that the NDDCG had been able to host its working meetings in Akwa Ibom and Delta, added that the group was reaching out to other stakeholders for joint collaboration and partnership.

According to her, the activities of NDDCG have greatly contributed to creating a broad platform for effective engagement with government and other stakeholders on peace building in the Niger Delta.

“We have recorded active engagement with government, including meetings with President Muhammadu Buhari, Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachikwu and Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh, Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs.

“We reached out to Pan Niger Delta Group (PNDG) led by Chief Edwin Clark, we sincerely commend them for their decision to partner and have close interaction with us.

“NDDCG also had active engagement with all aggrieved groups in the region and ensured team work with all other relevant parties leading to the declaration of 60-day ceasefire by Niger Delta Avengers (NDA),” she said.

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Military Arrest 3 Suspected Niger Delta Avengers Members

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The Nigerian Military has announced the arrest of three suspected members of the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) believed to have carried out the August 8 attack on the military check point in Nembe in which four soldiers were killed.

The soldiers attached to Operation Delta Safe were all killed and the suspected NDA members made away with their gun boats, arms and ammunition.
The attack was said to have irked the Defence Headquarters and the ODS was directed to launch a manhunt for the killers and ensure their arrest to bring them to justice.
According to investigations, intelligence gathering by the ODS led troops to the hideout of the suspected militants at Okiama community in Okigbene clan  Southern Ijaw local government area.
Though the raid did not yield the desired results, as the suspected militants had escaped, ODS troops recovered some items including military accoutrements.
On Monday, troops following the trail provided by intelligence officers intercepted the suspected militants at Epebu community also in Southern Ijaw local government area, and after a gun duel that lasted for about an hour, two of the militants including the leader was killed while three of them were arrested.
Commander of ODS Rear Admiral Joseph Okojie, in press briefing to parade the suspected militants, disclosed that large quantities of arms and ammunition and the gun boat that was stolen from the military check point in Nembe were recovered.
9 AK 47 rifles, 1 FN rifle, 4 HK 21 MGs, one G3 MG,  3  GPMGs, 20  AK 47 magazines, 2  G3 magazines, 1  FN magazine 1, container of gun powder. Others are 1 Epenal gun boat, 1,145 rounds of 7.62mm metal link, 2,485 rounds of 7.62mm ball cartons, 370 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, 1,356 rounds of 7.62mm NATO.
Okojie said that there was no place to hide for criminals. He also warned those planning to declare what he referred to as an “imaginary independence” to have a rethink as the ODS was prepared to clamp down on them.

Two Members Of Niger Delta Avengers Arrested In Delta

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The Nigerian Navy, on Saturday, paraded two suspects believed to members of the dreaded militant group, Niger Delta Avengers, who were apprehended by men of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Delta.

Parading the suspects at the Warri Naval Base, Warri, Commander, NNS Delta, Commodore Joseph Dzunve said the suspects were behind series of attack on oil and gas facilities especially in Warri South West Council Area of the state.

Commodore Dzunve, disclosed that the suspects were behind the attacks on Chevron Nigerian Limited (CNL) facilities within May and July 2016.

The two suspects who were identified as Stanley Toghan and Felix Miyenminiye were arrested in Sapele area of the state.

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http://punchng.com/navy-arrests-two-niger-delta-avengers-members/

Wike, Akpabio Deny Funding Niger Delta Avengers

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The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, and ex-Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio, have denied funding the Niger Delta Avengers.

Both men along with ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, and Chief Edwin Clark were among South-South leaders named as sponsors of the Niger Delta Avengers by the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers, a group which split from the NDA.

Others mentioned in the list were Bayelsa State Governor,  Seriake Dickson; ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo (alias Tompolo); the founder, African Independent Television, Raymond Dokpesi; Kingsley Kuku; Kimi Angozi, and Patrick Akpobolokemi.

Wike, who spoke through his Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Mr. Simeon Nwakaudu, called on Nigerians to ignore the list.

On his part, Akpabio, the Senate Minority Leader, described the allegation as “baseless, reckless and senseless”.

“Senator Akpabio has no link with the Niger Delta Avengers or any other militant group for that matter,’’ a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Anietie Ekong, on Sunday said.

The reaction was similar for Clark, who spoke through his lawyer, Mr. Dotun Sowemimo.

He said, “The allegation is an attempt to undermine the efforts of the Niger Delta leaders to bring true, lasting peace to the region.

“Clark and other leaders in the region believe in the unity of Nigeria. The list is a cheap lie, which is meant to distract the peace moves by the elders and leaders in the Niger Delta.”

Dokpesi also distanced himself from the Niger Delta Avengers, stressing that he remained committed to strengthening the unity and stability of Nigeria.

He said, “I don’t know who is giving that report; I have never met any member of the NDA in my life, I have no association with them and I don’t know who they are. I have been committed to strengthening the unity and stability of the country.”

A former spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olisa Metuh, also denied having anything to do with the NDA.

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http://punchng.com/wike-akpabio-deny-funding-niger-delta-avengers/

Division Amidst Niger Delta Avengers

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There is a crack in the ranks of the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA).

This came to the fore as a splinter group renounced its membership of the dreaded and destructive Niger Delta Avengers and embraced dialogue, promising to expose other members of the group and their sponsors.

It was gathered that the splinter group was pissed off by the hard-line posture of the major Commanders of the militant body towards having talks with the Federal Government in finding lasting solutions to the problems of the region.

One Cynthia Whyte had said in a statement that some members of the Niger Delta Avengers had renounced violence in the agitation (against) the underdevelopment of the region and were denouncing their membership of the militant group.

Also, the Niger Delta Avengers said in a statement issued on Saturday night that its household is still intact.

According to the statement signed by its spokesman, Mudoch Agbinibo, the purported split is the imagination of government agents and agencies with “delusional disorder”.

“The thinking to lure the public to another lie of spirit in the Niger Delta Avengers is only the ways of government agents and agencies with delusional disorder. This is teresult of a government and security agencies that are only becoming childish everyday for engaging drug addicts, bank robbers, sea pirates, falling political angels and charlatans to undo the Niger Delta people our genuine desire to self determination and resource control”, it said.

NDA said further “The public and all sane minds should know that the entire household of the Niger Delta Avengers remain intact, we are in good spirit with highest morals and even more dedicated toget the ultimate targets.

“We are not like the present Nigeria government, military and security agencies that have thrown intelligence to the dustbin and are being pushed around by dirty moral and egos of political thugs, criminals and illegal crude oil bunkerers like (names withheld) and their main collaborator Mr. Lawal Daura (DG DSS).

“It is quite unfortunate that Cynthia Whyte and Jomo Gbomo of defunct Joint Revolutionary Council and MEND respectively are the spokespersons of the Nigerian intelligentsia community because of some political interest and a government that has abdicated powers to clansmen and tribal lords.

“The fact checks about Cynthia Whyte, AKA George Karley, and his sponsors should be laid bare before the public now that the Nigerian security and intelligence community has turned the Niger Delta genuine struggle to a tool of political patronage and money making machine for miscreants and conflict merchants”, it added.

Credit: Thisday

“Don’t Use Military Action Against Niger Delta Avengers” – Governor Seriake Dickson

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The governor of Bayelsa state, Seriake Dickson has revealed that he advised President Muhammadu Buhari not to employ any military operation against Niger Delta Avengers.

 

Addressing state house correspondents after meeting President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja, Dickson said dialogue has a key role to play in restoring peace to the region.

 

He said: “The military solutions as I have always maintained is not the right option. We are hopeful that the ongoing discussions will yield the desired result,” he said.

 

“I have always been in support of negotiations, of dialogue as the sustainable way forward. Dialogue will bring out the issues and then we will all unite around these common issues to move our country forward.

 

“For us who are products of political system who are at this level, we have a duty to mobilise communal and local leadership, we have a duty to support the work of intelligence and security agencies are doing, we have a duty to ensure that issues are better appreciated and that we fill the communication gap.

 

“And where there are issues those issues need be addressed and is also our duty to network like I’m doing to ensure that problems that are identified as the route cause of some of these challenges are looked into.”

FG Should Extend Amnesty Till 2019 For Sake Of Peace – Ex-militants

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Former Niger Delta militant leaders have requested the Federal Government to extend the terminal date of the Presidential Amnesty Programme in the region to 2019.

 

The ex-militants, under the aegis of Leadership, Peace and Cultural Development Initiative, made the request at a news conference in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, on Tuesday.

 

The National President, LPCDI, ‘General’ Reuben Wilson, (a.k.a Pastor Reuben) argued that the extension of the programme would provide an ample time for the beneficiaries of the programme studying abroad to conclude their various educational activities.

 

He also said such a gesture would make time for those who had yet to undergo their various skills acquisition training to commence and conclude before the expiration of the programme.

 

He also appealed to those he described as “greedy and selfish politicians” to give the Chairman of PAP, Brig. Gen. Paul Boroh (retd.), a breathing space to continue with the good and selfless work being done by him as the Amnesty boss.

 

Wilson said, “We would like to commend President Muhammadu Buhari for extending the Amnesty programme to 2017. We are also appealing to the Federal Government that the terminal date be extended to 2019 to give enough time for the beneficiaries of the programme studying abroad to conclude their various educational programmes. “This will also make time for those who have yet to undergo their various skills acquisition to commence and conclude same before the expiration of the programme.”

 

He also begged Buhari to extend an olive branch to some of their brothers who were still in the creeks and were willing to embrace the programme.

 

Wilson condemned the pipeline bombings in Delta and Bayelsa states, advising all concerned to stop such dastardly acts as it would only bring the region back to its dark days and ultimately hinder any form of development in the area.

He added, “We call on all our Niger Delta brothers and sisters to be more patient with President Buhari as he needs more time to carry out his positive developments for the region. As we all know, this can only be achieved in an atmosphere of peace.”

 

“We hereby encourage militants to embrace peace as it is the most important ingredient for sustainable development. We are also still appealing to Presidency to still take a critical look at the issues of late salary payments or monthly stipends to the amnesty beneficiaries.”

 

“The delay of these payments is working against the peace we are preaching because these ‘boys’ tend to go into criminality in order to make ends meet due to non-payment of their stipends.”

 

He expressed total support for the Amnesty boss (Boroh), saying the programme had indeed touched a lot of lives in the region from its inception.

 

He noted, “We are here to declare our total support for him (Boroh). A lot of our leaders, particularly one of our own, Victor Ebikabowei Ben, popularly known as Boyloaf, have stood firmly by the appointment of Boroh.”

 

The entire leaders under the LCPDI with its nine coordinators, representing leaders from the nine Niger Delta states, are strongly in support of Boroh. The Amnesty boss has in such a little time piloted the affairs of the programme; he has carried on without fear or favour.

 

“We believe that given the right atmosphere and time, he will direct the programme to the benefit of all and for the achievement of the development and lasting peace in the Niger Delta region.”

 

Just recently, the Amnesty programme, under the leadership of Boroh, partnered with the Bio-Resource Centre in Odi to train 100 ex-agitators on agriculture. This is indeed a step in the right direction with the new trend of diversification of the economy.”

Militants Demand Release Of IPOB Leaders As Condition To Free Liberian Ship

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A Niger Delta militant group, the Concerned Militant Leaders (CML), has demanded the release of detained leaders of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as the only condition for the release of the ship flying Liberian flag, which was attacked and seized along Bakassi Peninsula on Nigerian waterways.

 

The group has also disclosed that its next target of attack would be Frontier Oil in Eket, Akwa Ibom State. The vessel was reportedly heading to the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), Bonny, Rivers State, before it was intercepted by the militants.

 

Spokesperson of the CML, General Ben, disclosed that they seized the ship as part of their grievances against the Federal Government and as a means of crippling the economy.

 

Ben, in a statement on Monday evening, said they were yet to ascertain the number of crew members on-board the vessel, adding that they had every other information about the ship.

 

“The vessel has the following details (excluding crew on-board), MMSI: 636015354; IMO: 9113551; gross tonnage: 25,202; country flag, Liberia; crude oil tanker and pilot, Captain Marcus,” he said.

The group ruled out any intention to dialogue with the Federal Government anywhere, unless it is around the Atlantic Ocean, which is their area of control.

 

The spokesperson stated that CML had not decided on what to do with the vessel and crew members yet, but would inform the Federal Government of their intention today, Wednesday, July 27.

 

He warned that no militant group should dialogue with the Federal Government until it addressed the agitation of the Niger Delta agitators, particularly the release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), which CML, in particular, is concerned about.

 

“This is the worst government we have had since this democratic dispensation. People are suffering and dying due to hardship and government does not want to listen to the grievances of our people.”

 

“There is no time again for negotiation with any government, and no group even the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) should not do that. Government should wait for us and expect more pipeline attack,” they said.

Leave Oil Fields, Terminals Now, Niger Delta Avengers Warns Oil Workers

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Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) has warned oil workers and foreigners to vacate oil fields and terminals as it is ready to fight dirty.

The militant group, in a statement signed by its spokesman, Mudoch Agbinibo, specifically warned Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) workers as well as foreigners to leave oil fields and terminals because “it will be going to be very dirty very soon.”

In the statement issued in the early hours of Thursday, the group said: “We are warning NUPENG and Pengassan to leave all oil fields and terminals in the Niger Delta because it will be going to be dirty very soon. Foreigners are to leave too”.

NDA, which reacted angrily to the claim by the Nigerian Navy that its logisitics supplier was arrested, described it as the biggest joker of the 21st century boasting that all its members are intact.

It castigated the Nigerian Navy as having lost its sense of professionalism with its attribution of every suspect arrested to the Niger Delta Avengers.

“As it is now, any Tom, Dick and Harry is a suspect of Niger Delta Avengers. Nigeria Navy has lost the sense of professionalism.

“The Nigeria military arrested school students in Oporoza and called them the Niger Delta Avengers; any criminal caught is NDA, even their business partners (illegal oil bunkerers) with which things went sour are NDA. Sea pirates are now NDA”, it said.

Also, the group lambasted the military for always denying any of its successful attacks on oil pipelines only to go after criminals and parade them as its members that breached such facilities.

“When Niger Delta Avengers carries out any major attack, they (Nigerian military) will deny it. First was the NNPC pipeline that was blown; second the 48-inches Exxonmobil pipeline that was blown by NDA. Mobil and the government denied it. Only for Exxonmobil to declare force majeure a few days after the attack”, it stated.

The militant group said emphatically that the Qua Iboe export pipeline operated by ExxonMobil which was blasted two weeks ago is down right now.

“Let me give a little brief about the Qua Iboe Export terminal. This is a subsidiary of Mobil and it is the biggest export stream in Nigeria. They export one million barrels every two days.

“I Brig. Gen Agbinibo personally led this operation, unlike the Nigeria Chief of Naval Staff that sit in the comfort of his office to pass orders”, the statement added.

The Niger Delta Avengers advised the military to stop deceiving the public and its Commander in Chief and come out with the truth on the Akwa Ibom blast instead of claiming that its operatives didn’t blow up the line but system anomaly.

“Shame on the Nigeria military.
Reports from our intelligence agent, the only way funds can be allocated to various departments of the military is only when they arrest the Niger Delta Avengers operatives.

“But soonest the Nigerian public and their Commander in Chief will know that the military is not capable to handle the Niger Delta Avengers.

“How do you explain a military officer having a house in choice areas in Nigeria and outside the country?

“Nigeria serving and retired top officers are the richest people in Nigeria. How do they get such wealth? Right now, they are using Niger Delta Avengers to fraud the Nigeria government and tax payers of their money.”

Credit: Thisday

Nigerian Navy Arrests Niger Delta Avengers’ Major Logistics Supplier

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The Nigerian Navy (NN) said it had arrested a suspected member of the Niger Delta Avengers. This is contained in a statement signed by its Director of Information, Commodore Christian Ezekobe, and made available to newsmen in Abuja.

According to Ezekobe, the suspect who was picked up on July 11 at about 11 a.m., is believed to be a major logistics supplier to the group which had claimed responsibility for attacks on NNPC and Chevron pipelines in the region.

“The arrest was made following a confessional statement obtained from an earlier arrested suspect who gave details of the involvement of other collaborators in the attacks.

“Preliminary investigations also revealed that the suspect recently supplied 10 batteries, five large coils of wire and other materials purportedly used for the attacks,’’ the director said. The NN said it would continue to partner with sister security agencies and members of the public to eliminate all forms of economic sabotage such as vandalisation of pipelines and piracy.

Credit: Vanguard

FG Inaugurates Committee To Negotiate With N’Delta Avengers

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The Federal Government on Monday night announced that it has set up a committee to negotiate with the militant group, Niger Delta Avengers, that has been involved in the destruction of oil installations in the Niger Delta region.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, who said this in Abuja, explained that the move was aimed at halting the deadly attacks which had made Nigeria’s oil production plummet to 1.5 million barrels per day.

According to him, the team that will engage the militants will be coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser.

He said other members of the team included himself, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Uguru as well as selected leaders, kings and influential individuals from the Niger Delta.

Kachikwu said, “The President has appointed a team led by the NSA and I serve in one of those, to begin the process of a very intensive dialogue with those caught in the middle of this. I am sure that in the ensuing one week the intensity of that dialogue will wrap up.

“The NSA is going to be working with the various arms of the armed forces to descale the intensity of military intervention in the area within a week or two so that dialogue can take place. We are making contacts with everybody who is involved, the ones that we can identify, through them, the ones that we can’t identify so that there is a lot more inclusiveness in this dialogue. Our prayer is that this works so that we resort to dialogue rather than use of force.”

On the loss recorded as a result of the attacks by the Niger Delta Avengers, Kachikwu said, “Over the last two months, we have probably lost about 600,000 barrels from various attacks of militants in the area. In terms of production, we are roughly at about 1.5 million to 1.6 million barrels a day, down from 2.2mbd which is the basis of this year’s budget and if peace reigns, obviously between now and August we will be able to recover substantial portion of this production so that the budget doesn’t suffer.”

Credit:Punch