Ijaw Communities To Niger Delta Avengers: Don't Make Our Communities Theatre Of War

Coalition of Ijaw Communities in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South West Local Government Area of the Delta state have urged the perpetrators of multiple attack on pipelines belonging to NNPC and Chevron Nigeria Limited to desist from the dastardly act and stop making Gbaramatu Kingdom their theatre of war.

While condemning the attacks in a joint statement issued over the weekend by Chairman of Inikorogha community in Warri South West Local Government Area, Comrade Christopher Ejoh, Chief Isaiah Ukulor and Chief Felix Ejoh, and made available to newsmen, the group expressed concern that the militants were targeting facilities within Gbaramatu Kingdom and other Ijaw enclave, thus giving Gbaramatu Kingdom a bad name and subjecting the locals in Ijaw Communities to perpetuate fear of possible military invasion of their land.

They said that besides the economic sabotage and environmental degradation which the perpetrators were causing the Nigeria state and entire Niger Delta region, the psychological effects on the locals and the immediate environment were enormous as the residents each time a pipeline is sabotage jostle for fear of being caught along the firing line.

The leaders said that the attacks were inimical to the socio-economic development of the area and counterproductive to the development plans of the federal government and multinationals who were carrying out repair work on some earlier sabotage pipelines in the communities.

They lamented that the Nigerian Gas Company NGC, pipelines that have been commissioned earlier after their repairs by Ocean Marine Solution, a seriving firm handling pipeline repair jobs for NGC in the area were among the lines attacked in Inikorogha and Bafan communities but urged the company not to be discouraged to terminate the pipeline surveillance job of which some of the communities are beneficiaries.

Besides, they also condemned the sabotaging of the Chevron trunk line in Abiteye, Alero, Dibi, Otunana and Makaraba flow stations, which feed a major Chevron's tank farm in Escrovos, Warri saying that there was no reasonable justification for the twin attacks.

"We are seriously pained by what is going on around Gbaramatu Kingdom and it environs. We condemned in its entirety these attacks and want to appeal to the perpetrators to stay away from our communities.

"Our communities should not be a battle field, because we are at peace with NGC and other multinationals around us. NGC in particularly have been of great help to us, the electricity we are enjoying today was provided by them and we have no course to be in any disagreement with them, the statement said.

The statement however urged the perpetrators to settle their differences with whosoever they have issue with and stop using the Ijaw Communities as theatre of their war.

"We are always subjected to apprehension and fear whenever a pipeline is atrack. Our people no longer sleep with both eyes closed because of fear of the unknown.

"Few days ago, we saw a naval chopper hovering around our communities taking photography and many people started running into the bushes and sheltering because they thought the army had come to invade them so we are appealing to both the perpetrators and the military not to make Gbaramatu a theatre of war again. We are begging the perpetrators of these acts to take the fight somewhere else".

They however called on the military to exercise caution in its bid to hunt down the perpetrators of the heinous act because of residents leaving around the impacted communities saying that the army should not by any way make innocent communities culprits in the militant onslaught.

Militia Group, Niger Delta Avengers Blow Up Chevron Facility Week After Its Threatened To Take Attack To Tompolo's Backyard

Recalcitrant Niger Delta militant group, Niger Delta Avengers on Wednesday evening blew up Chevron Valve Platform located within Gbaramatu Kingdom in Delta State few days after its threatened to launch attack on oil installation in the backyard of ex-MEND warlord, Chief Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo) who they allegedly accused of interference.

The threat attacks by the militant group which culminated with the Wednesday attack on Chevron facility came barely few weeks after Tompolo had disassociated himself from the recalcitrant militant group, and blamed the activities of the group on some undisclosed contractors and multinationals operating in the region.

Although the militant group didn't specifically say it bombed the facility as a warning to Tompolo to steer clear of its affairs, Bigpenreports learnt that the militant group had in an earlier statement threatened to take their operations to backyard of Tompolo if he continue to counter their directives.

They alleged that Tompolo had given his nod to NNPC and contractors to commence repair works on the 48-inch pipeline at Forcados which its blew up sometime ago despite a stern warning that no one should go near the blast site until its demands are met.

In an earlier statement on the backdrop of the devastating incident which took place around 10:40pm on Wednesday evening, the militant group which stated that they are not part of the Presidential Amnesty programme said they had only decided to pick the struggle up from where the former Niger Delta agitators left off.

Addressing Tompolo, they said; "It is only the actors that are new. You are not one of us and you need not border yourself to try to convince anyone.

"As a result, if you can’t join us (Niger Delta Avenger) PLEASE take your hands off our activities because it’s a slap on our face for you to give a nod for repair works to continue on the 48-inch pipeline at Forcados despite a stern warning by us for no one to go near the blast site.

"We hereby give you (refering to Tompolo) a three days ultimatum to apologize to Niger Delta Avengers in the same national diailies as anything other than that will mean that, we shall bring the war to your doorstep by blowing up all oil installations within your backyard (Gbaramatu Kingdom). Since you have taken side with the Federal government to fight the Niger Delta people".

"We are however advising you to stir clear of our battle with the federal government; it is better you stay mute over our activities if you can’t support us Please take your eyes off our activities".

While claiming responsibility for the Wednesday attack, the militant group which had earlier claimed responsibility for destroying the Forcados 48-inch Export Pipeline, also threatened to attack oil facilities in Lagos and the nation’s capital Abuja.

“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.

“Until our demands are met, no repair works should be done at the blast site,” the group warned adding that its "Strike Team 6" carried out the attack on the facility, which they said is in line with their commitment to cripple the economy of the Nigerian government.

All efforts to reach Chevron Corporation’s Public Affairs Manager, Deji Haastrup for comment on the incident as the time of filling the report proved abortive but  security sources who confirmed the incident stated that the facility was badly destroyed.