The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Niger Delta Avengers

  • Army arrests Niger Delta militants

    The Nigerian army said on Monday it had arrested members of a militant group which has claimed responsibility for a wave of attacks on pipelines in the restive Delta region.

    The detainees were thought to be part of the Niger Delta Avengers, a movement blamed for assaults on oil infrastructure that had cut Nigeria’s output to 1.65 million barrels a day from 2.2 million at the start of the year, Reuters reported.

    The Avengers, who said they are fighting for a greater share of oil profits, an end to pollution and independence for the swampy southern region, last week warned oil firms to leave before the end of the month.

    “This is to confirm the arrest of some suspected members of Niger Delta Avengers, in connection with attacks on Chevron oil facilities,” Reuters quoted  army spokesman, Rabe Abubakar, as saying on Monday. He did not say how many were detained or when they were arrested.

    Nigeria has moved in army reinforcements to hunt the militants, but British Foreign Minister, Philip Hammond, said on Saturday President Muhammadu Buhari needed to the deal with the root causes of the conflict because a military confrontation could end in “disaster.”

  • Stop causing more harm to N’Delta, Ateke warns Avengers

    Stop causing more harm to N’Delta, Ateke warns Avengers

    The former Niger Delta war lord, Ateke Tom has warned the faceless newly formed Niger Delta Avengers to stop causing more harm to the region through their criminal activities, saying that attack on oil installations would only bring pains and suffering to the people of the region.

    Ateke, while condemning the activities of the Avengers whom he described as desperate criminals said no Niger Delta youths would support any criminal act in the region.

    The Okrika High Chief spoke Monday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital while reacting on the activities of the Avengers and the effect on the people of Niger Delta.

    He regretted that if the group continues with their criminal activities it would once again expose women and children in the region to serious hardship, adding that he is ready and willing to offer assistance to the Federal government to negotiate with the Avengers if the group is ready for peace.

    He called on the security agencies to fish out the criminals and prosecute them in line with the law if they refused to lay down their arms and unmasked themselves as responsible citizens.

    Ateke said: “As one of the peace ambassadors in this region, I want to state it clear that any responsible Niger Delta youths would not support the criminal act being perpetrated by the so-called Niger Delta Avengers. I   condemned in totality the activities of this frustrated,   faceless and desperate masked group called the Avengers.

    “I am also pleading with the ex-war lords not to use the issue of the avengers to hit up the  polity by causing trouble in the  region, either by name calling or by insulting our elders and chiefs. Bombing and destroying our oil installations and government properties in the region is only exposing children and women to another hardship.

    “I want to call on the elders and chiefs in this region to talk to their children; there is no gain in violence and trouble making. We must see ourselves as one and learn how to support the government at the centre whether we are in support of it or not. In my state I have since started sensitization campaign against kidnapping and vandalism.”

     

  • Ex-militant ‘General’ Africa vows to stop ‘Avengers’

    Ex-militant ‘General’ Africa vows to stop ‘Avengers’

    Former militant, ‘General’ Africa Ukparasia on Friday offered to assist the federal government in stopping the activities of the new militant group in the South South, Niger Delta Avengers.
    The group has launched a series of attacks on oil facilities in the geopolitical zone causing a sharp drop in production.
    But General Africa told journalists in Abuja on Friday that the situation should not be allowed to continue like that.
    He accused the ‘Avengers’ of working for wanted ex-militant, Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo.
    Tompolo has repeatedly denied any links with the group.
    General Africa said: “I want to state categorically that the Niger Delta Avengers is not a new group. It is Tompolo that is behind the group and what they are out to do is to carry out their threat to make the government ungovernable for the APC. We will not allow that to happen.
    “Tompolo is the person behind the attacks in the Niger Delta and so, Nigerians and people of the Niger Delta should not think that there is a new militant group. I am confirming that it is Tompolo that is behind the group. It is not a new militant group.
    “It is Tompolo that is disturbing the peace of the people of the Niger Delta. So, I am warning him to stop the unnecessary action and stop disturbing this our government because the government is very sincere.
    “During the last government, nobody heard of the name Avengers causing problem and causing damage to our oil installations.
    “Before the last election, Tompolo vowed and it was all over the media that if Jonathan did not win the election, he would make the country ungovernable. That is what he is doing now. So, nobody should be surprised about what is happening now because it is Tompolo that is doing it.
    “He promised that he would do that and it was all over the media. I have witnesses who can testify to this. Tell him I said so and I am sure he will not deny that.”

  • Pipelines attack: FG must not succumb to blackmail – Activist

    Niger Delta activist, Chief Ayimi Emami has urged the Federal Government not to bow to “cheap blackmail” and antics of a former militant leader who is allegedly behind Thursday and Friday morning’s attacks on strategic oil facilities and pipelines in Warri area of Delta State.

    Emami’s advice followed renewed attacks on oil and gas platforms of Chevron Nigeria limited by a militant group, Niger Delta Avengers.

    He said, “Those who have issues bothering on criminal activities and illegalities should go to the court to answer to their deeds and clear their names rather than resorting to cheap blackmail to arm-twist the Federal Government and the EFCC to drop the charges against them.

    “One man cannot hold the FG to ransom, he cannot hold the nation by forming a parallel government within the Nigerian state.”

    Although Emami did not specifically mentioned former Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) leader, Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo) it was clear that he was alluding to the warlord, who is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over his dealings with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Although Tompolo had surreptitiously denied links with NDA in advertorials and media statements, Emami said he was not impressed by the gimmick

    He said, “It has now become a pattern for this wanted man to preempt the attacks by placing advertorial denouncing the group and after which the group would strike again.

    “This is a clear and plain childish prank, disown the group three days before they strike and they would attack, blow up oil facilities and give a farcical reason for the attacks.

    “The last time he said some APC members are behind the attacks, how did the ‘leader’ of the PDP become so abreast of the workings of these so-called disgruntled APC members? Who does he thinks he is fooling? What intelligence does he have to know who and when the attacks will come?”

     

  • Navy confirms attack on Chevron platform

    The Nigerian Navy has confirmed that a Chevron platform at Escravos, Delta State, was attacked on Wednesday night.

    Naval Spokesman, Comdre Chris Ezekobe, said the attack occurred about 40 nautical miles from the Escravos terminal.

    Ezekobe, who did not mention a group responsible for the attack, said the incident cut short gas and crude oil production.

    But the militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), claimed responsibility for the attack on the Chevron platform.

    The group in an electronic statement signed by one ‘Col.’ Madoch Agbinibo, said at about 10:40pm on Wednesday its fighters blew up the Chevron valve platform.

    The group said it was taking its fight off the creeks to Lagos and Abuja and advised oil firms not to rely on the country’s security.

    The statement said: “This platform is the most significant platform for Chevron because it’s the main connecting point where all other platforms linked up and it’s a fulcrum to chevron BOP and the Chevron Tank farm. With the valve platform blown all Chevron’s activities are now halted.

    “This is what we promised the Nigerian Government that since they refuse to listen to us, we are going to zero the economy of the country.

    “As for zeroing the Nigerian economy, we the Niger Delta avengers is done with Delta State major oil installations. Now we are taking the fight out of the creeks to the Niger Delta. We are taking it to Abuja and Lagos now.

    “We want to pass this message to the all international oil companies operating in the Niger Delta that the Nigeria military can’t protect you facilities. They should talk to the federal government to meet our demands else more mishaps will befall their installations.”

  • Militants bomb Escravos pipeline in Warri

    Nigeria’s crude oil and gas productions suffered further setback on Thursday as a major valve platform belonging to the Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) was bombed around Escravos, Warri South-West council area of Delta State.

    Those who could have provided reliable information on the matter were not forthcoming as neither security contacts nor company personnel could ascertain what actually happened.

    However, a new dissident group, Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), has since claimed responsibility for the attack.

    NDA, in a statement issued by its spokesman, Col. Madoch Agbinibo, threatened the federal government that the recent deployment of soldiers to the oil-rich region would not deter it from crippling the nation’s economy.

    “The high command of the Niger Delta Avengers wants to use this medium to thank strike team 6 for successfully blowing up of the Chevron Valve Platform. And we are ready to protect the Niger Delta people.

    “This is what we promised the Nigerian government that since they refused to listen to us we are going to zero the economy of the country.

    “As for zeroing the Nigerian economy, we the Niger Delta Avengers is done with Delta State major oil installations. Now we are taking the fight out off the creeks to the Niger Delta. We are taking it to Abuja and Lagos now.”

    “We want to pass this message to the all international oil companies operating in the Niger Delta that the Nigeria military can’t protect their facilities. They should talk to the federal government to meet our demands else more mishaps will befall their installations,” the group said.