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General News of Tuesday, 1 June 2021

Source: punchng.com

NDDC: Militant groups threaten attack on N’Delta oil facilities

Former Niger Delta warlord, Government Ekpemupolo Former Niger Delta warlord, Government Ekpemupolo

A coalition of militant groups in Niger Delta has vowed to cripple oil installations in the region if the Federal Government fails to inaugurate the substantive board of the Niger Delta Development Commission after seven days.

The militants led by the Supreme Egbesu Freedom Fighters backed a similar ultimatum issued by a former Niger Delta warlord, Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, said they would shut down all major flow stations, oil wells and pipelines owned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

They asked the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, to caution the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio and his cronies to order and immediately constitute the board to avert the looming huge blow on crude oil production.

The coalition in a statement issued on Monday through an electronic mail at the end of an emergency meeting conveyed by the SEFF’s  Commanding Officer, ‘General Agadagba Obus popularly called Thunder, said the Trans-Nembe Bonny Creek Crude Pipeline would not be excluded from the coordinated operation.

While supporting the ongoing protest of the Ijaw Youths Council, Worldwide, the militants said after the ultimatum, they would shut down the Escravos-Warri to Kaduna NNPC major delivery crude line, the Escravos Lagos Atlas Cove and the Trans-Escravos Warri-Kaduna gas line supplying electricity to Abuja.

General Obus also threatened to disrupt the operations of the Trans-Forcados 48-inch terminal underwater Shell/NNPC crude pipeline and the Chevron RMP24 Clough Creek if Akpabio refused to allow the Federal Government inaugurate the NDDC board.

The statement read, “If Akpabio refuses to yield to this noble piece of advice and still goes against the common interest of the Niger Delta people and decide to continue to hold the entire Niger Delta region to ransom and refuse to let go his grip, the economic consequences of our planned action should be on him.

“The Presidency and the Federal Government should hold Akpabio, the minister of Niger Delta Affairs and the Sole Administrator of the NDDC, Effiong Akwa, responsible.“The Supreme Egbesu Freedom Fighters and the other agitating militant groups should not be held responsible for whatever befalls the region.

“We want to make it clear that with the way things are going, President Buhari, who was elected to provide good governance for the welfare and betterment of the Niger Delta people and Nigerians at large, has refused to listen to cries of the Niger Delta people.”

The militants said they would not fold their arms and allow Akpabio and his cohorts to rubbish the collective will and aspirations of the Niger Delta people. They said Akpabio’s strangulation of the NDDC was frustrating the tireless peace efforts of some political leaders like the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege.

The statement further said Akpabio’s grip on the NDDC under the guise of conducting a forensic audit was a ploy to short-change other states in the Niger Delta region. They said despite not being part of the ongoing secession agitation in the South-East, the Federal Government still turned deaf ears to their agitation for the inauguration of the NDDC board.