NPDC pipeline bombed by new militant group

Barely a day after it threatened to attack oil and gas installations within the upland part of the Niger Delta, a new militant group, Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate, on Wednesday reportedly blew up a major oil trunk line in Isoko area of Delta State.

The NDGJM had on Tuesday threatened to attack oil facilities located in the upland of the region, including the Warri and Port-Harcourt refineries, following alleged Federal Government’s failure to develop upland communities as well as include them in the ongoing dialogue with Ijaw militants.

The incident, which occurred at about 2am on Wednesday, left the pipeline which feeds the Eriemu Manifold, operated by Nigerian Petroleum Development Company in Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state, destroyed.

A military source at the 3 Battalion, Agbarho-Otor, confirmed the attack but refused to give details as the incident was being investigated by security agencies in the area.

The spokesperson for the group, Aldo Agbalaja, claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement issued late Wednesday evening.

It said the operation was carried out under its ‘Operation Zero’ which was  targeted at national assets even as it threatened more of such similar attacks in days to come.

The statement partly read, “The Central Operations Command of the Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate hereby announces the commencement of demolition and evacuation of the uplands tagged, “Operation Zero” to correct the wrongs that have afflicted our people for years, seek justice for the perpetually cheated and protect the identities of our people, who are co-owners of the wealth which Nigeria has forever misappropriated.

“As a mark of our seriousness and to prove we are people of our words, at about 0200hours of today; Wednesday, August 10, 2016, operatives of the Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate brought down a Major Trunk/Delivery Line from Isoko to the Eriemu Manifold in Urhobo, belonging to the NPDC/Shoreline Resources.”

The group also gave a strong warning to the NPDC not to commence repairs on the affected trunk line as it would not hesitate to attack its personnel.

“This is just a glimpse of what is to come; there are several assets already penned up for destruction. This line of action has been made inevitable by an unjust system, which only responds to the violent, to the detriment of the peaceful and law abiding,” the statement added.

Efforts by our correspondent to confirm the  incident from the zonal spokesperson for the NPDC, Mr. Ugo Atugbokoh, were unsuccessful as calls to his telephone line were not picked.

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Militants attack Agip pipeline in Bayelsa

Gunmen, suspected to be militants, have attacked a pipeline belonging to an oil giant, Nigerian Agip Oil Company, at Ikienghenbiri community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

The pipeline vandalism was said to have been spearheaded by some armed youths within the community.

However, community sources alleged that a supremacy war between rival pipeline contractors over surveillance contract led to the attack on the pipeline.

It was learnt that operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps who stormed the community shortly after the incident arrested one of the suspects.

The state Commandant, NSCDC, Mr. Desmond Agu, confirmed the attack on the Agip pipeline.

He said one of the militants, identified simply as Peregbakumo, was arrested through the assistance of the community leaders.

Agu said he summoned an emergency meeting of senior officers of the command and gave them a marching order to secure all pipelines, oil installations and other critical national assets in the state.

He identified the facility attacked by the militants as a pipeline along Azuzuama area of the Tebidaba-Brass trunkline.

The Commandant said the pipeline was attacked with dynamite at about 12.30am, adding that the community was cooperating with his operatives to apprehend the other fleeing suspects.

He said after the attack, the armed youths laid ambush in the community and shot a civilian member of the Oil and Gas Task Force in the leg.

Agu, however, said the youth took off on sighting the gunboat of NSCDC, adding that his operatives later arrested Peregbakumo with the help of community people.

Agu said, “At about 0300hrs, a gang of armed youths allegedly led by one Suoyou, Iyelawei and Fyneboy, all of Ikienghenbiri community, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, vandalised pipeline along Azuzuama area of the Tebidaba-Brass pipeline with dynamites and ignited fire on the line.

“Through community help, we were able to arrest one of the suspects and to identify some of the fleeing suspects.

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