In a televised speech on Sunday (29.05.2016) President Buhari said the militant attacks “will not distract us from engaging leaders in the region in addressing Niger Delta problems”.
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The military has on Monday, May 30, deployed fighter jets and surveillance aircrafts to the creeks of Delta State in search of militant group, Niger Delta Avengers.
The Niger Delta Avengers claimed responsibility for an assault on Chevron’s Escravos terminal in Nigeria May 26.
Buhari, from the majority Muslim north, has charged prominent politicians and ex-militants from the oil-rich mostly Christian south with corruption.
The militant group, in a statement signed by its spokesperson, “Brig”. The group has pointed out that the locals don’t have access to basic necessities such as hospitals and schools, while foreign energy companies have all the available luxuries.
After months of sabotage, Anderson estimates production has fallen by about 560,000 barrels per day. The attacks were apparently aiming to take another chunk out of the Eni-operated AGIP pipeline at Gulobokri, but security forces reportedly halted the attack after a standoff and shootout with militants in speed boats. Following the two incidents at the company’s facilities, Shell has reduced its operations in the region. — Faul reported from Lagos, Nigeria.
A media aide to Buhari said the president would travel to Ogoniland in Rivers state to flag off a long-awaited clean-up of the area, which has been affected by oil spills.
Rebels in Nigeria’s main oil producing Niger Delta region Tuesday threatened more attacks on oil installations as well as oil workers in reprisal for a military raid on a militant hideout.
Already, activities of the group have put implementation of Nigeria’s N6 trillion budget in jeopardy with fears that the revenue projected to be earned from oil may no longer be realisable. This act of the Nigerian Army to us is the greatest act of cowardice. The Nigerian oil minister Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu is planning to improvise the amnesty program.
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The scheme providing cash benefits and job training to those who lay down their arms has had its funding cut by two thirds. The inability of the previous government (who ought to know better) in tackling the militancy and developmental issues in the Niger Delta can be said to be regrettably responsible for this renewed resurfacing of agitation, when even the East/West road and other coastal roads as promised by the Yar’Adua’s administration couldn’t be completed by the last administration.
