Tag Archives: Oil Facilities

Operation Delta Safe Arrests Suspected Militants Over Recent Attacks On Oil Facilities

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The joint military force, Operation Delta Safe, deployed to the Niger Delta, says its troops have arrested two militants believed to be masterminds of recent attacks on oil infrastructure in the region.

Rear Admiral Suileman Apochi, Commander of Operation Delta Safe, paraded the suspects before reporters on Thursday in Yenagoa, capital of Bayelsa State.

According to Admiral Apochi, the suspected militants are popularly identified in the Niger Delta creeks as “General Eagle” and “General VIP.”
He said that the arrest of the suspects, who had allegedly admitted to being the brains behind attacks at Agip’s oilfields in Bayelsa State, was as a result of the tenacity of operations launched against vandals by the joint force.

He noted that the activities of the two arrested militant suspects was responsible for the slump in oil output following several attacks and threats to oil firms.

“I am glad to announce that two notorious kingpins identified as General Eagle and General VIP have been apprehended. From interrogation, they have admitted to committing several crimes,” said the commander.

He added: “The criminals and their group have at various times masterminded the destruction of oil infrastructure and sabotage to the economy.

“They have engaged in illegal bunkering and kidnap of high profile victims.

“The self-acclaimed General Eagle said he recently organized and blew up one of the oil company’s risers at Golubokin along Obama-Brass pipeline in Bayelsa. He also claimed responsibility in the planting of explosives at Agip’s oilfields.”  Suileman said.

The commander said that preliminary investigations had uncovered text message threats to oil firms and their staff, adding that the suspected militants declared their intention to carry out more attacks if their demands for financial gratifications were not met.

He said that troops acting on actionable intelligence raided the militants’ hideouts in Yenagoa and arrested three other suspects currently being interrogated.

He said that one of the suspects in the custody of the joint task force claimed during interrogation to be a pirate and “pipeline bleeding expert” responsible for the destruction of several oil facilities.

Admiral Apochi urged aggrieved groups to take advantage of the federal government’s window of opportunities to amicably resolve grievances rather than resorting to criminal acts.

He assured that the military would not relent until the region was sanitized of criminals. He solicited the support of the public through the provision of timely and credible information required to identify and flush out criminals.

He also assured that steps were being taken to ensure a crime-free Christian season as patrols have been intensified on the East-West road as well as the waterways in the Niger Delta region.

JTF foils attempt to vandalise oil facilities in Bayelsa.

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The Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta, codenamed Operation Delta Safe, yesterday, said its operatives at FOB FORMOSO repelled an attempt by suspected oil thieves to vandalise and steal the control unit from a Well Head in Nembe creek, Bayelsa East senatorial district.

 

This came as troops raided Bukuma Jetty in Rivers State, and arrested three suspected militants and one Cotonou boat laden with illegally refined Automated Gas Oil.

 

Coordinator, Joint Media Campaign Centre, ODS, Lt. Col Olaolu Daudu, in a statement issued in Yenagoa, identified the oil facility as Well Head 72, operated by AITEO Company.

 

According to him, the suspects on sighting the troops abandoned their tools and fled the scene.

 

He said: “The Nigerian Navy Ship JUBILEE also foiled an attempt by gunmen led by the suspected leader of a cult group popularly referred to as “Icelander” at Entebe community in Akwa Ibom State to kidnap people of value but on sighting the naval gunboats, the kidnappers fled the scene. The group had earlier embraced Amnesty but some intractable members still indulge in acts of criminality. Troops are on their trail.

“It was also reported that sea robbers operating from Eastern Obolo attacked and kidnapped unspecified number of persons on a ship at sea. Troops of NNS JUBILEE are on the trail of the kidnappers for possible rescue. Troops of Sector 3, while on patrol, discovered an illegal oil refining camp at Idama Creek in Rivers State. The site was destroyed. Also, based on tip off, troops raided suspected militants camp at Harrison Kiri, Liberty, Evil forest, Virgin forest, Opuru fishing port, Wangwa fishing port and Zion City. At Harrison camp, suspected militants fled on sighting troops. They are being trailed.

 

“Similarly, troops raided Bukuma Jetty and arrested 3 suspected militants and one Cotonou boat laden with illegally refined Automated Gas Oil. Troops also discovered an illegal refinery site at Borokiri general area where bunkerers engage in massive loading of illegally refined AGO. One container truck with registration number AWK 119 ZL loaded with 50 drums concealed behind bags of flour was impounded.”

Oil Facilities Attacks: Tompolo Calls On Militants To Ceasefire

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The ex-militants leader, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo (Tompolo), yesterday called on the new militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers, to put an end to its attacks on oil facilities, saying it would not do the nation any good, especially at this critical period of the country’s economy.

In a statement titled: ‘A Call to the Niger Delta Avengers to give Peace a Chance in the Niger Delta Region,’’ which he personally signed, the Ibe-ebidouwei of the Ijaw nation denied any involvement in the recent attacks.

According to him, ‘’You members of the Niger Delta Avengers group are aware that some mischievous persons have continued to point accusing fingers at me that I am either behind you or directly carrying out the destruction of oil pipelines across the Niger Delta region, therefore I should be arrested by the Nigerian military.

“Sadly, the military had bought this ethnic induced and wicked accusation without a single proof to show that I am truly behind you people. On the other hand, some have suggested that you may be part of the multitude of persons I had catered for, from economically empowering to payment of school fees, hospital bills, and house rents and so on.

“And that as I am out of circulation as a result of my travails in the hands of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), you might be tempted to strike out on your own for sheer survival.’’

Maintaining that he knows nothing about the new militant group and the destruction of crude oil facilities in the Niger Delta region, Tompolo said he had made it clear in many occasions that the issue he has with the EFFC would not make him resort to violence and bombing of oil pipelines.

He added that his team of lawyers had already challenged the defective process of legal service on him at the Court of Appeal.

Credit: Thisday

They Want To Frame Me For Bombing Oil Facilities, Tompolo Cries Out

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Niger Delta ex-Militant, Government Ekpemupolo also known as Tompolo alleged yesterday  that there is a plot by some aggrieved politicians in Bayelsa State to launch bomb attacks on oil installations and pipelines in the region with the aim of attributing such attacks to him . Tompolo said this was as a result of his open support for the re-election of Governor Seriake Dickson.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has already secured a court order to arrest him over allegations of financial crimes in NIMASA.

According to Tompolo, in a statement issued yesterday via email, he said though the election has thrown up bad blood among indigenes of the region, loss of lives and bitterness, the anger felt by some politicians against his support for the re-election of Dickson should not be transformed to the destruction of the nation’s assets.

“Furthermore, I want to admonish those that are still aggrieved as a result of the outcome of the election not to resort to destruction of national assets, specifically, crude oil facilities and pipelines and attribute it to me because of my position on the election to desist from such acts as it will not do us good as a country, as we all need to support President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to succeed.”

He reiterated his earlier statement that, “we cannot all be in APC” and also noted that  “our people had always believed in the Nigerian project and had always hoped to join hands with this administration to move this project forward.

“ The conditions being attached are not acceptable, therefore, I, once again, insist on believing in the Nigerian project unconditionally.”

Credit: Sun

Why We Blew Up Oil Facilities In Delta, Urhobo Militant Group Explains

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Aggrieved Urhobo militants, under the aegis of Urhobo Gbagbako, have said that their decision to blow up oil facilities in Ihwrenen and Ejophe communities in Ughelli North and Ughelli South Local Government Areas, Delta State, was informed by what they described as marginalization and neglect of Urhobo nation by the outgoing administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

The group, in a statement by its National Chairman, Otega Obire, said: “The Urhobo nation, as the fifth largest ethnic group in the country, has long been marginalized in the presidential amnesty programme and pipeline surveillance jobs and contracts. Even the Delta Steel Company, DSC, Aladja, that is supposed to be the only federal project in Urhoboland, has been grounded for years.”

Warning that the Urhobo hospitality, simplicity and maturity exhibited to ensure the smooth functioning of government at all levels, should not be mistaken for cowardice, the group in the statement, told the incoming government to create a level playing ground for bidding and allocation of contracts in the oil pipeline surveillance with particular reference to the “Urhobos who are the major host communities of oil facilities and gas plants in line with the Local Content Act.”

Calling for the speedy resuscitation of DSC to reduce unemployment and restiveness in their domain, and by extension promote the economic fortunes of the people, the militants, said: “We accepted change before the elections because we strongly believed in the capacity of the president-elect, General Muhamadu Buhari, to correct the wrongs done to us by the outgoing administration.

“We have resolved to prevail and calm all aggrieved Urhobo youths for a ceasefire after due consultation and meetings with our channels of communication with the incoming government, but it has to be quick in order to avoid a return to the dark days of militancy.”

Credit: vanguardngr