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Niger Delta militants block East-West road

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8 years ago

July 4, 2016

Olu Emmanuel

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As Avengers sustain attack on Chevron, NNPC facilities

National Daily had in its current edition report the fresh threat by the Niger Delta militants at the weekend and the accumulated anger over non-payment of their allowances. The militants, this Monday morning, blocked the East – West Road linking the southeast to the south-south, sending warning signals to road users to use alternative routes.

There are emerging signs of renewed tension in the Niger Delta over the fear that the activities of certain regrouping militants may provoke military invasion of local communities.

The Bakassi Freedom Fighters, at eh week end, issued an ultimatum to the Federal Government and the Cross River State Government, threatening to resume their abandoned violent agitations if their allowances were not paid before July 11, 2016.

Unfortunately, unlike the Niger Delta Avengers, the Iduwini Volunteer Force (IVF) and the congeries of militant groups under the aegis of Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force (JNDLF), fighting for lack of development and marginalization, the Bakassi Freedom Fighters are simply fighting for their stomach; essentially, the payment of outstanding allowances owed them.

ALSO SEE: Niger Delta Militants write Buhari

The militants, not withstanding, embarked on mass protest this Monday, leading to the blockade of the East – West road, obstructing vehicular movement on that route.

Their protest was coming simultaneously with the protest letter by the Iduwini Volunteer Force (IVF) to President Muhammadu Buhari demanding the removal of the Governor of the Central bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, over his anti-people economic policies. The IVF is particularly, agitating against the plot to liquidate Sky Bank and handing the bank to business interests in the south west.

In the midst of these crises, the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) also launched fresh attacks on major oil and gas installations in Delta State. Chevron, NPDC and NNPC facilities were said to have been blown up by one strike team on Friday and Saturday. The NDA revealed their new attacks on oil and gas producing facilities belonging to Chevron, the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) through several twits.

They indicated that a series of attacks took place on Friday, Saturday night and early Sunday

morning in Delta State. At least five facilities were incapacitated. At 9:15pm on Friday the @NDAvengers blow up Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Crude Oil Trunk Line to Warri Refinery. — Niger Delta Avengers (@NDAvengers) July 2, 2016 At 11:26pm on Saturday @NDAvengers blow up two NPDC major crude trunk lines close to Batan flow station in Delta state. — Niger Delta Avengers (@NDAvengers, they revealed in their various twits.

All five operations were said to be carried out by ND Avengers Strike Team.