The Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) has threatened to resume fresh attacks on oil facilities in Nigeria.
The group had announced an immediate end to its ceasefire with the Federal Government in a statement posted on its website on Friday.
It had also accused the Federal Government of being insincere despite the commitment by the leaders of the region to broker peace, saying that the government was only interested in the oil being derived from the Niger Delta.
In the statement signed by the group’s spokesman, Murdoch Agbinibo, NDA said Operation Red Economy, which it had declared following the intervention of the Chief Edwin Clark-led Pan Niger Delta Forum, was officially over.
It declared that the fresh attacks would affect the nation’s oil facilities in the region and stop oil production, saying it was not interested in having further negotiations with the Federal Government.
A statement by the Niger Delta Avengers on Friday had said, “This outing will be brutish, brutal and bloody, as we shall crush everything we meet on our path to completely cut every pipe that takes oil out from our region.
“We can assure you that every oil installation in our region will feel the wrath of the Niger Delta Avengers.”
The group also denied any affiliation with the militant group, Reformed Niger Delta Avengers, accusing its operators of being used by the Federal Government to scuttle efforts by leaders in the region to force the government to develop the region.
However, responding to an inquiry from one of our correspondents about how attacks on oil installations would affect the activities of oil companies, the General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs, Chevron Nigeria Limited, Mr. Esimaje Brikinn, in a text message, said, “No comment.”
The spokesperson for Shell Nigeria, Mr. Precious Okolobo, also declined to comment on the development and told reporters to contact the relevant security agencies.
In the same vein, the General Manager, External Affairs and Communications, Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc, Dr. Chioma Nwachuku, declined to comment on the development.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Navy has said it would not relent in its operations in the Niger Delta region to secure oil installations, lives and property.
The Navy Director of Information, Captain Suleman Dahun, said this on Friday while reacting to the threats made by the militants.
The navy recently began an exercise on October 30 in Bayelsa and Delta states called, ‘Operation Octopus Grip.’
It reportedly deployed troops and at least five gunships in the region.
Dahun said, “In the Niger Delta, we have several operations to secure lives and property, including the most recent Operation Octopus Grip. We are doing this to contain all threats and maintain the peaceful atmosphere in the Niger Delta.
“The navy is constitutionally mandated to ensure maritime security. This is our cardinal responsibility and it includes lives and property in the Niger Delta. Over the years, we have kept this mandate.”
Efforts to also talk to Operation Delta Safe, which is a joint military operation set up to secure oil installations in the region, have yet to be successful as of press time. – Punch.
