Tension Grips Niger Delta As Armed Youths Destroy Oil Facilities

The Niger Delta region was yesterday under attack as some oil installations and facilities in the area were vandalised by  armed youths said to be loyal to Chief Government Ekpemupolo (alias Tompolo), erstwhile leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND).


The attackers who operated from fast gun boats fitted with General Purpose Machine-gun (GPMG) and other lethal weapons descended on oil installations in Warri creeks.

Oil and gas pipelines in the creeks of Gbaramatu and Ugborodo areas of Warri South-West and those in Egbema, North local government areas of Delta State were affected in the latest attacks.” New Telegraph reports.

The gas pipeline which came from Olero creeks to Escravos, were destroyed in the latest attack and several crude lines sabotaged while Makaraba, Otunana (Uton-Nana), Abiteye and Dibi flow stations were bombed. “The pipeline, which conveys gas from Saghara to Chevron, was also destroyed and there are several persons trapped in the communities.

The kind of explosives and bombs they used are not like those of before; the effects were felt in several communities as they went off intermittently,” a local source reports.

 Destroyed in the latest attacks were facilities of the “Nigerian Gas Company, Chevron Nigeria Limited and Neconde among others,” the source said.

Some companies operating in the area were allegedly “forced to airlift their workers over the weekend when militants blocked the waterways and restricted movement of transport boats.”

Tompolo , who has been at dagger’s drawn with the Federal Government over the alleged N34 billion theft was arraigned in absential last Friday with the former Director- General of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Patrick Akpobolokemi.

Tompolo who has been fingered as being the mastermind behind the attacks has however denied the allegations of his involvement and wondered why his name was associated with such act. “I am not responsible for the attack and I condemn it as a dastardly act. I am aware that some persons may want to destroy oil installations and link it with me. That was why I said before time that I have nothing to do with it.

“I could not have gone ahead to carry out such action, knowing that every finger will be pointed at me because of my case with the Federal Government, He said through Mr. Paul Bebenimibo, his media aide.

Tompolo expressed his willingness to assist government  fish out the perpetrators of the attacks.

The Acting Director of Defence Information (DDI), Brigadier-General Rabe Abubakar has voiced his displeasure over the attacks and has vowed that the Military will deal decisively with any form of crises and  bring Perpetrators to book.

There are fears the attacks, if not curtailed may spread to neighbouring Bayelsa and Rivers states.