Militants threaten more show dawn on oil operators, ''advise them to shut dawn''

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·         The Niger Delta Avengers in the oil-rich Niger Delta in Nigeria yesterday issued a two-week ultimatum to owners and operators of oil concessions in the region to shut down their businesses and evacuate all their staff or face ''severe consequences''

·         A statement by its spokesperson, ‘Col Mudock Agbinibo’,  gave warning to Chevron not to embark on the repair of the valve blown up last week, or several casualties would be recorded during any confrontation, as its claims responsibility on its recent attract. 

·         “To owners and operators of these oil blocks in our region, the Niger Delta Avengers is giving you two weeks ultimatum to shut down your operations and evacuate your staff.

·         “If at the end of the ultimatum, you are still operating, we will blow up all the locations. It will be bloody. So just shut down your operations and leave,” the group warned.

·         Giving a detailed breakdown of owners of the oil wells in the Niger Delta region, it claimed that at least 90 per cent of the platforms are owned by people outside the oil-producing region, stressing that they ‘’ the Avengers’’ would shut down the companies permanently.

·         “There is a rumour that oil has been discovered in the North-east. How will you feel if this new found oil is being managed by Niger Deltans? We are very sure the Niger Deltans won’t even have 2 per cent of the oil blocks if oil is really found in the North-east. If you don’t shut down, we will shut your stations permanently for you,” the group threatened.

·         Focusing on Chevron again, the militant group claimed that it had information that the company was in the process of fixing the facilities recently blown up by its members.

·         “From our investigation Chevron is about to carry out repair works at the valve platform that was blown by us. We made it clear that no repair works should be done until our demands are fully met.

·         “When we blew the Chevron valve platform, it resulted in total blackout at the Escravos tank farm for more than three hours. If we can do it, just know that we are capable of bringing down your tank farm if you continue with repair works on the blown valve platform.

·         “Chevron and the Nigeria government are pushing us against our beliefs, despite making it clear we are not after innocent human lives, but as it’s going, we might cause human casualties if they don’t listen to us.

·         “Be informed that if we decide to strike, it is going to be bloody. And the contracting firm going to do the repair works, we want you to know that your facilities and staff will be our first casualties,” the group added.

·         Reveling in the success of its recent attacks, the avengers boasted that despite the heavy military presence in the creeks, it would not stop the group from carrying out its attacks.

·         “We are ready to destroy more pipelines; we won’t only destroy pipelines, but will bring the fight to your tank farm and your headquarters in Lekki, Lagos (Chevron). If you continue to undermine us and go ahead with the repair works, you won’t see us coming but we are coming for you,” the militants said.

·         Describing its critics as cowards, the group took a swipe at Mr. Government Ekpemupolo, better known as Tompolo, stressing that the ex-militant does not have the interest of the region at heart.

·         “To ex-agitators of the likes of Tompolo, we know why you people are after us. Our agitation is more civilised than yours. The Niger Delta Avengers is more concerned with people of the Niger Delta.

·         “Unlike you (ex-agitations) that were into kidnapping, killing Nigeria soldiers, engaging in piracy of vessels and tanker hijacking, we are able to carry out all our operations without killing a fly.

·         “We have sophisticated arms far better than what you used to have during your kidnapping days,” the group revealed.

·         The group claimed that it has its spies in the Nigerian military, noting that all the plans of the security forces were being divulged to its members.

·         “In our meeting comprising all heads of the strike teams, which was held in Bayelsa, the Niger Delta Avengers’ high command came to the conclusion that if the military harasses or invades any community in the region, then you (Nigeria military) will get a feel of the avengers,” it said.

·         It also claimed that all the group’s commanders are evenly spread across the region.

·         “The commander of strike team 9 of the Niger Delta Avengers is from eastern Nigeria, so nobody should limit this struggle to the Ijaws of the Niger Delta only.

·         “The leader of the strike team 6 that blew up the Chevron valve platform is Itsekiri. The commander of our elite team strike team one is from Akwa Ibom,” the militants claimed.

·         “To the international oil companies, this is just the beginning and you have not seen anything yet. We will make you suffer as you have made the people of Niger Delta suffer over the years from environmental degradation and pollution.

·         “To the President of Nigeria, Buhari, we are sure you have not been to the creeks of the Niger Delta before and 90 per cent of your cabinet does not know what the region looks like. You think the Niger Delta region is full of animals that are going to frustrate your government,” the group stated.