Oil attacks: Military high command storms Port Harcourt

In an apparent determined move for an onslaught to root-out perpetrators of the resurgent militant attacks on oil facilities, the nation’s military high command: the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Ibok Ibas, and Chief of Air Staff, Sadiq Abubakar, on Monday stormed Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, with a strong message to governors of the Niger Delta region to quickly rally up against renewed militancy in the area.

The Chief of Defence Staff, Olonisakin, who led other three military chiefs (Army, Navy and Airforce), said the recent resurgence of militancy in the Niger Delta was of serious concern to the military, saying the military high command was ready to muster strong force to the region.

“Recent activities of the militants have led to the sabotage of oil and gas infrastructure. The economy of the nation is threatened by the resurgent militancy, hence the need to stop the insecurity in the region,” the he said.

Olonisakin urged the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike to reach out to his colleagues in the Niger Delta (Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo and Ondo states), to resolve the conflicts in the oil producing area.

The military top brass’ visits are coming only days after suspected militants blew up an Agip Oil facility in Bayelsa State last week. This was a follow-up from an earlier attack on the Escravos gas flow line operated by the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC) in Delta State penultimate week.

In about a month, at least three heavy attacks have been recorded on key oil and gas installations in the Niger Delta region, thereby cutting deeply into Nigeria’s oil production output, now put at a little above 1.6 million barrels per day, down from the 2016 budgeted production benchmark of 2.2 million bpd.

The CDS said the Military High Command was in the region to interface with the leadership of the JTF Operation Pulo Shield and other service commanders, on how to put an end to criminality in the oil-producing region, and protect the nation’s economy from total collapse.

Nigeria’s economy is heavily dependent on crude oil receivables, which currently suffers from fall in demand, leading to falling prices at the international markets.

Meanwhile, Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has declared that the leadership in states in the Niger Delta region would not shield any criminal from the military operations against militants sabotaging the nation’s economy.

Wike however, said, all Niger Delta governors oppose the use of violence to settle grievances; pointing out that the governors were billed to meet with the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo on  June, 2016, to discuss and proffer solutions to the security situation in the oil region.

Governor Wike, while speaking when he granted audience to the country’s Military High Command led by the Chief of Defence Staff, Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin, an Army General, said: “What was happening (in the Niger Delta region) affects our state revenue. We shall help the military to fish out militants blowing up oil pipelines in the region.”

He said the Rivers State Government was worried about the resurgence of militancy in the Niger Delta, as it negatively affects development in the area.

“As a government, we cannot support economic sabotage. What is going on (in the Niger Delta region) is economic sabotage. Oil production is being negatively affected, with the revenue of states dwindling,” Governor Wike said; adding that, there are ways to channel grievances; and it is wrong to do what would negatively affect the people of the region.

He assured the Military High Command that the government and people of Rivers State would support efforts to secure the area; while commending the military for the sacrifice they have made in providing security for most parts of the state; and urged them to work towards improving security in Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Abua/Odual and Ogba/Egbema /Ndoni local government areas of Rivers State.