New Militant group last sunday bombs NPDC crude oil delivery line in Afiesere-Ekiugbo

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A militant group, Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate (NDGJM) on Sunday night claimed it has breached the Afiesere-Ekiugbo delivery line in Ughelli, Delta State operated bbomby NPDC-Shoreline.

It claimed that its Opudo Strike Force attacked the pipeline on Sunday at about 11.30 p.m maintaining that the group’s Operation Crocodile Tears was not slowing down.

According to a statement signed by its Spokesperson, Aldo Agbalaja, the militant group said “the song will continue to play” and achieved its target until the Federal Government takes the proper steps.

“The Opudo strike force, at about 11:30 pm on Sunday, September 18,2016, struck the Afiesere – Ekiugbo delivery line in Ughelli, operated by NPDC/Shoreline.

“The Operation Crocodile Tears is not slowing down, but determined to achieve target. Until the federal government takes the proper steps, this song will continue to play”, it said.

Our checks within the security circles confirmed that the trunkline was indeed breached and that efforts were on to apprehend the masterminds.

NDGJM emphasised that Operation Crocodile Smile was nothing but a scam, some jumbled job, sewn together to retire some recently embezzled military budget adding “were it a serious endeavour, as the entire military system has sought to bamboozle Nigerians and the entire world to believe, the half-baked operation would have at least been reaping marginal results, asides those wrong arrests, lacking in intelligence, that it had realised.

“This is to you, Gen Buratai, let your crocodile continue to smile, your time for re conning is at hand, probably by the time the smiley
crocodile finally sinks, you will see its tears and blood. Under your nose, the very task of guarding oil assets (which we consider a waste of time, resources and a failure of priorities) will fail because you are both insincere and incompetent”, it stated.

NDGJM said its mandate was just starting noting that the Army Chief would soon see what it has in stock for further destruction of oil facilities in the region.

It declared: “The Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate is just starting, you are yet to see what we are about, by the time the alpha operations are initiated, you will need more than these fighter jets to keep your troops safe in any part of the Niger Delta”.

The militant group warned oil companies not to place their trusts in the guns and fighter jets of the Nigerian armed forces stressing that it was a reflection of their mindset towards the people of the region.

“To the oil and gas companies. We have observed that you have placed your trust in the guns and fighter jets of the Nigerian armed forces, our words for you are few: keep at it and wait for your rewards, which have almost come upon you.

“It is a reflection of your minds towards our people, you obviously don’t believe that the people of these part are undeserving of good lives. You hide behind the guns of the oppressors to pillage our lands and our people, leaving us despoiled and our lands raped. You do all manners of things you will dare not imagine in other parts of the world where you operate.

“Here you have failed all basic corporate social responsibilities, leaving the people to languish in lack and ruins. Continue with your
insolence against our people, but we will vow to you today that we shall uproot every asset and facility you think you have secured with




soldiers and their guns. SHORELINES, First Hydrocarbon, NPDC, Seplat, Total E&P, Shell, Agip, Saipem, Mobil and co wait for us, we are just coming out for you”, it added

“All agrarian products in the area surrounding the scene of the incident have been damaged as a result of the blast,” a resident of the nearby Ekuigbo community, Efemena Akposire, told AFP.

A military officer added: “Unlike previous attacks carried out by the group where they hack-sawed the pipelines, dynamite was used in this case.”

Nigeria’s military has boosted its presence in the oil-producing southern swamplands in response to the attacks, raiding suspected militant camps and clamping down on illegal oil refineries.

Various rebel groups have complained about poor living conditions in the area, where despite massive oil wealth most people live in poverty without access to basic services such as education and health care.

Distrust in the Nigerian security forces is widespread in the region. Last week the NDGJM complained of intimidation and vowed to “match force with the oppressor’s brutality”.

Rebel attacks are not the only crimes plaguing the region: kidnappings for ransom are also common.

Nigerian police said Monday it had rescued 14 local oil workers and their driver after a shoot-out with their kidnappers near the oil hub of Port Harcourt, capital of Rivers state.

The employees of Nestoil Plc, an oil and gas service firm, were seized on September 2 by a gang of men who hijacked their vehicle and fired shots into the air to frighten away bystanders.

Rivers police spokesman Nnamdi Omoni said none of the oil workers was injured and no ransom was paid. Efforts were being made to track down the kidnappers, he added.




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