Buhari orders 2-week ceasefire in N- Delta

President Muhammadu Buhari has
ordered the military to suspend operations in
the Niger Delta for two weeks to create a
window for dialogue with militants.
Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe
Kachikwu, disclosed this in Abuja, yesterday.

According to him, the Federal Government is
determined to explore the dialogue option, with
a view to restoring genuine peace in the region,
where oil production has been significantly hurt
by activities of the Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, in
the last two months.

He said: “The President is interested in dialogue
and has mandated the military to halt actions for
about two weeks to ensure a team that will be
led by the NSA, dialogues with the militants to
ensure peace in the region.

This is coming as more oil companies in the
Niger Delta have reviewed their operations,
following continued bombing of their facilities in
Delta and Bayelsa states.
Avenue open to militants, says Kachikwu

‘’The avenue is open for them, provided the
militants are willing to embrace dialogue and
allow truth to reign because we are going to
involve key leaders from the region who have
had previous experience in that area to play
whatever role they can”.

Speaking at the handover ceremony of Federal
Polytechnic of Oil and Gas to the Federal
Ministry of Education, Kachikwu stated that the
Federal Government was not just committed to
securing oil and gas installations but the lives and
property of people in the region.

According to Kachikwu, the Monguno team will
consist of top officials of the Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, service chiefs and
ministers from the Niger Delta.

The NNPC boss said the nation needed peace in
oil production now than ever, given the
circumstances currently facing the economy.

However, Kachikwu expressed hope that the
dialogue would yield positive results and get
Nigeria back to maximum production as the
country was currently producing about 1.6mbpd,
about 600,000 barrels, short of the 2.2mbpd
production target of the 2016 budget.

Meanwhile, Kachikwu has commended the
Petroleum Technology Development Fund, PTDF,
for being able to start and finish a huge project
such as the Federal Polytechnic of Oil and Gas at
Ekowe, Bayelsa State.

He said: “This is a very good attempt by PTDF, to
cover the skill gap in the areas of training and
research in oil and gas in the country.”

More oil firms review N-Delta operations
More oil companies in the Niger Delta have
reviewed their operations, following continued
bombing of their facilities in Delta and Bayelsa
states.

Investigations by Vanguard revealed that some
of the oil companies have developed jitters over
the latest impudence by militants operating in
the creeks of the region.

Agency reports indicated that Nigerian Agip Oil
Company, NAOC, shut down operation after an
attack, last Friday, by militants on its pipeline in
Bayelsa State, forcing it to cut production by
65,000 barrels per day.

Spokesperson for Aiteo, Mr Shola Omole,
operator of the Nembe Creek Trunk Line, which
came under attack by Niger Delta Avengers, May
28, also said production on the line that
conveyed crude to Bonny export terminal had
been shut.

He added that the company was compelled to
shut daily production of 75,000 due to the
attacks.

It was also learned that Chevron Nigeria Limited
and Shell Petroleum Development Company,
SPDC, have started reappraising their operations
in the region, particularly with the constant
bombings of their facilities by Niger Delta
Avengers and other nascent militant groups.

A source, who pleaded anonymity, said the
company had shut down most of its facilities in
Bayelsa State due to militants’ threats and
bombings.

Similarly, Shell said it was forced to declare a
force majeure on its Bonny light crude blend
because the militants attacked its Nembe Trunk
Line which it relied on to evacuate crude from its
oil fields in Bayelsa State.

Vanguard also gathered that Eni, the parent
company of NAOC's production had been
interrupted by 65,000 barrels per day, following
attacks on its pipeline in Bayelsa State.

A source close to the company, said: "The total
deferred production due to the attack is 65,000
barrels of oil equivalent daily."

FG in talks with N-Delta stakeholders —
Osinbajo
However, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo,
yesterday, revealed that the Federal
Government has commenced talks with the
leaders and people of the Niger Delta to halt the
spate of attacks on oil installations in the area.

Besides reaching out to the people, the Vice
President said the government was beefing up
security in the region, describing the blowing up
of pipelines as economic sabotage.

Speaking during a meeting with a delegation of
the European Union, led by the EU Ambassador
in Nigeria, Mr. Michel Arrion, Osinbajo called on
the Niger Delta leaders to live up to expectations
befitting their status.

“We are talking, we are ensuring that we
minimize losses and we are stepping up security.
We are also engaging the international oil
companies, IOCs, to see what options exist,” he
said.

The Vice President reechoed that the focus of
the Buhari Presidency “is to ensure that the man
on the street in the Niger Delta receives the
benefit from all that is available there.”

Tompolo flees as militants vow to test
missiles
Meanwhile, there were palpable fears,
yesterday, as the Joint Niger Delta Liberation
Force, JNDLF, restated its plan to test missiles in
a three-day operation in the Niger Delta, amid
report that ex-militant leader, Government
Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, has fled to Libya.

The group, which issued alert last week that it
would commence the operation today, in a
statement by its Commander, General Duties,
General Akotebe Darikoro, and three others,
said: “In our final meeting, it was resolved that
the Nigerian communication satellite orbit
should be shut down so that it will avoid the
cause of electronic radiation to human lives.

“We shall fire these missiles simultaneously at
the night, as this will enable every Nigerian to
see the movement of the missiles and equally to
believe us of our seriousness on the final
breakup as predicted by the United States of
America (USA).”

The group’s resolution to go ahead with the
operation is in clear conflict with the stand of the
Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, which disowned the
new groups, claiming to have anti-aircraft
missiles and warned them, last Saturday, to
desist from targeting any aircraft or it would go
after them.

Militants vow to bomb Aso Rock, other
targets

However, the JNDLF, remained unperturbed,
last night, as it warned occupants of the State
House, Abuja, Defence Headquarters, DSS
Headquarters, National Assembly, NNPC Towers,
Central Bank of Nigeria, Supreme Court/Appeal
Court, Agip Heaquarters, Abuja and Shell
Headquarters, Lagos, to vacate them to save
their lives.

Other targets listed by the group include
Chevron Headquarters, Lagos; Exxon Mobil,
Lagos; NLNG, Lagos and Abuja offices, Kaduna
Refinery and all military formations in Abuja,
Lagos, Kaduna and Benue states.

On militant leader, Tompolo, the group asserted:
“At present, Tompolo is in Libya and we’ll get
him dead or alive for betraying us in supporting
the Federal Government against us.

“Nigerian military has weak intelligence
gathering mechanism, hence they could not
identify our modus operandi. Nigerian military is
only good in carrying AK-47 to harass innocent
people and raping young girls and women.”

Before now, the Niger Delta Avengers was the
group that had issued warnings to Tompolo for
allegedly disowning it and its bombings, now the
JNDLF is against Tompolo.

However, while both agreed on dealing with
Tompolo, they disagreed on deployment of
missiles.

Avengers had threatened to go after any group
that deployed missiles, kidnap and abduct
soldiers in the region.

A source close to Tompolo laughed when
contacted by Vanguard, yesterday, saying: “I do
not know what you want me to say, they should
leave Tompolo alone.”

JNDLF, however, maintained: “The fight is not for
any human blood, but to destroy all those
infrastructure that were built with our oil and gas
monies in this country.

“We will make Federal Government and oil
companies to suffer as they have made the
people of Niger Delta suffer over the years from
degradation and environmental pollution.
JNDLF warns diplomatic community

“We equally advise the diplomatic community to
be neutral on this issue as wrong comments
against us will be seen as sabotage. Where they
are staying currently will not be affected which is
not part of our targeted areas of destruction in
the country.

“We shall embarrass the Nigerian Air Force with
their recent deployment of fighter aircraft,
helicopter gunship and surveillance aircraft when
at this digital age, countries are talking about
missile development, and they still condescend
so low with their present obsolete equipment.

This is sad indeed.

“Note, we are going to destroy the ones they
have deployed to Escravos, Forcados in Delta
State; Bonga oil field, Agbami offshore and Brass
in Bayelsa; Bonny in Rivers; Qua Iboe Terminal in
Akwa Ibom State, and Opuekeba in Ondo State if
they fail to remove them before time. Our crack
team has taken inventory of their equipment.

“Even the present suffering from a rare ear
disease known as Meniere’s disease by President
Muhammadu Buhari will not win any sympathy
to save our action against the Federal
Government.

Military fully involved in illegal bunkering

"The name, Nigeria as a country, will come to an
end this week. The so-called operatives of the
military operations, code named ‘Operation Pulo
Shield, in the Niger Delta were our partners in
the oil bunkering activities, because at present,
without being told, the former JTF Commander,
Major-General Emmanuel Atewe, was arrested
by the EFCC last week over pipelines surveillance
contract of N8.2 billion in the region.”

It said his arrest “is an eye opener to the Federal
Government that the military are fully involved
in illegal bunkering in the area.

"The Pharaoh of Nigeria (Buhari) should take the
counsel of sycophants and jesters around him,
especially Mr. Ayiri Emami and Professor Itse
Sagay, who are currently in our searchlight.

“The founder of the Niger Delta Ex-Agitators,
Israel Akpodoro, is a dead man and he should
not hide for linking former President Goodluck
Jonathan and Governor Seriake Dickson with the
Avengers.”

JNDLF noted that Shell Petroleum Development
Company and Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL, had
continued to spend billions of naira to repair
damaged oil and gas pipelines, instead of paying
victims of the 2011 Bonga oil spill and Koluama
gas explosion in Bayelsa State.

“Since they don’t want to hear, we’ll continue to
break the pipelines until they do the needful for
our old parents at home because that is the only
language the companies and Federal
Government understand in the country.”

Army revisits Oporoza

Meanwhile, soldiers of the Joint Task Force, JTF,
in the Niger Delta, went back to Oporoza
community, traditional headquarters of
Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local
Government Area, Delta State, yesterday
morning, less than 72 hours after they ended a
six-day siege to the riverside town.

A source, who spoke to Vanguard at 6.40 a.m.,
said: “The soldiers are scattered all over the
community, they are moving from place to
place, we do not know what they came to do
again.

“Most of the young people fled into the bush
again, but some women and elderly ones, who
could not run, waited behind to know what they
came for this time around. I am seeing about 50
soldiers, though I am not sure of the exact
number."

A security source, who wondered why there was
fuss over soldiers performing their lawful duty,
asserted: “There is nothing wrong in soldiers
going back to Oporoza if they got more
intelligence information on the perpetrators and
their modus operandi.”

Vanguard learned that soldiers might have
searched the Oporoza Guesthouse, which they
ransacked earlier and other strategic places.
Former militant leader, Government

Ekpumupolo, alias Tompolo, who some persons
fingered in the ongoing attacks by Niger Delta
Avengers, NDA, despite his strong denials, had
his space in the lodge turned upside down in the
previous visit.

Ijaw leader, Chief Godspower Gbenekama,
confirmed to Vanguard that soldiers stormed
Oporoza earlier yesterday, at about 7.57 am.
Another leader in the area, Piniki Azaiye, said:

”They just left without harassing anybody.”
Military never really left Oporoza
However, a military source told Vanguard that
contrary to reports that the military departed
Oporoza only to return yesterday morning,
soldiers were still very much around at Oporoza.

According to the source, who spoke on condition
of anonymity, “the military never really left
Oporoza as reported, what actually happened
was that we just only had a routine change of
soldiers embarking on surveillance operation at
Oporoza.

“The withdrawal was also facilitated to enable the
soldiers to be paid and it has nothing to do with
pressure on the army authorities to withdraw its
men from the community.”
Again, students, teachers scurry into the
bush

However, despite the people’s complain about
the return of the military to Oporoza, former
chairman of Oporoza, Amami Ebimene, told
Vanguard on phone: “As I speak with you, they
have taken over the town and everyone, who had
returned before, has fled into the bush again.

“What pained me most is the students, who were
to start examination today (yesterday). They
scampered along with their teachers into the
bush. The teachers, who we managed to convince
to come back, have vowed not to return.

”The military should take their search for
Avengers to some other places; we are fed up
with this harassment. The elderly people are in
shock and there is no means of rescuing them.

“The Federal Government and its military are
pushing us to anger and they know that there will
be a limit to what we can bear."

Secretary of Okerenkoko Federated Community,
Ernest Bebenimibo, blamed the silence of the
state governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, for the woes
of the people.

He said: “The state government should act fast
because our students’ future has been thrown
into jeopardy due to military occupation.

“The plight of our students, who are currently
writing examination is terrible, we have been
displaced and the children cannot write their
examinations.

“For the government to watch us suffering and
children not being able to write examinations
after voting for them, is terrible. We are angry,
we are not Avengers, and we are not militants,
so the military should leave us alone.”

Ijaw denting N-Delta image — Itsekiri group
An Itsekiri group, Iwere New Era Watch, INEW,
however, frowned at the frequent resort to
militancy by Ijaw ethnic nationality, saying the
ethnic group was smearing the image of other
nationalities in the region.

Leaders of the group, Jubemi Mofeosan and
Joshua Edemakporo, said in a statement: “The
Niger Delta has returned to international
headlines as the hotbed of violence, less than
one year that power has changed hands in Abuja.

“The bad image makers and perpetrators of
these renascent assaults have carried on with
pomp and swagger as though they are the
absolute owners of this region.

"While this attitude is abhorrent, it is not
entirely surprising to serious observers in the
region as these miscreants always sprout from
the Ijaw ethnic nationality.

“A look at the Kaiama Declaration leaves nothing
to doubt that the Ijaws falsely believe that they
are the owners of the region, Iwere homeland
inclusive. It would be, therefore, correct to say
that these set of militants, whether Avengers or
whatever nomenclature they choose to adopt,
like their predecessors, with all intents and
purposes, have been acting out a twisted version
of the Kaiama script.

I was not arrested—Ogulagha chairman
In a related development, security agents have
released the Ijaw chief and other persons
arrested on Sunday at Ogulagha community, in
connection with the bombing of the Forcados 48-
inch Export Line, belonging to Shell Petroleum
Development Company, last Thursday, by Niger
Delta Avengers.

However, executive chairman of the community,
Captain Prebor Solomon, reported to have been
arrested with five others, called Vanguard on
phone, yesterday, that he was not arrested, but
voluntarily went with his people that were
arrested to ensure that they were freed.

Chairman of the umbrella body of Ijaw Youths
Council, IYC, clan structure in Ogulagha, Dobra
Collins, had confirmed the arrest of the
chairman and others to Vanguard on Sunday.

S-South doesn’t need North’s food supplies
Reacting to the call by some alleged divisive
elements on northerners to halt food supplies to
the South-South, National President of Ijaw
People Development Initiative, IPDI, and the
Foundation for Human Rights and Anti
Corruption Crusade, FHRACC, Alaowei Cleric, said
the South-South and, indeed, Southern Nigeria,
do not need food supplies from the North to
survive.

He said: “While we are in support of the unity of
the country, we wish to let whoever cares to
know that Southern Nigeria or better still, the
South-South geo-political zone is self-sufficient
and self-reliant. The South can survive and will
even do better without food supplies from the
North.

“The call on northerners to halt food supplies to
the South-South by some divisive elements,
which have the acronym of Pro-Buhari
Supporters, is nothing but a self-destructive
message, a booby trap that can only harm its
progenitor.

"The said nasty message, which is widely in
circulation in some online media, purportedly
authored by those democratic naysayers, is the
height of stupidity.

“They talk as if we are not farmers and
fishermen in the South-South. Is it not because
the oil companies working for government have
polluted our land and river that people can no
longer farm and fish that Niger Delta is
complaining, yet government does not think that
there is need to dialogue and address the
issues?”

Military option'll worsen matters
The Ijaw National Congress, INC, in a statement
by its National President, Mr. Boma Obuoforibo,
appealed to the Federal Government to exercise
restraint in its pronouncement to crush Niger
Delta militants.

He said: “We believe that this will not bring any
lasting solution to this complex problem. The
options of dialogue and negotiating are
worthwhile and, therefore, should be pursued.”

It condemned the present resurgence of
bombing of oil installations by Niger Delta
Avengers and other perpetrators, describing
their activities as counter-productive.

Source: Vanguard