29 days to Buhari’s exit: N’Delta militants resume hostilities, bomb oil facilities
…issue more threats
BY NOSA AKENZUA
A militants group, “Delta Strike Force (DSF)” in Delta State specialising in bombing and vandalization of oil installations in the Niger Delta region has laid claim to the massive attacks on oil facilities in Agbarha-Otor and Afiesere and their neighbouring communities in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State to force the operators of OML30 and OML34 to shut down their operations.
This is coming barely 4 weeks to the end of the administration of Muhammadu Buhari.
The group in an email message sent to our correspondent, admitted that the militant group at 10:30p.m on April 27, 2023, attacked the flow station, noting that it will not relent on its efforts at crippling the activities of the oil companies in the state until the Federal Government accedes to its demands.
The image maker of the group, General Masskiller accused FG of abandoning them after using its members to prosecute the war against the insurgent group, the Niger Delta Avengers, NDA in 2016, but has now turned around to award contracts to the leadership of the Avengers while leaving those who fought them into extinction in limbo.
According to him, the bombing of Agbarha-Otor oil wellheads is one in a series of such actions coming after the recent attacks on the Afisere Flow Station; Kokori, all are in Ughelli north, Ethiope East and Isoko North Local Government Areas of the oil-rich state of Delta.
‘Masskiller’ boasted that his group will ensure it continually undermines the “porous and inept security operations” around OML 30 and 34 to “gallantly sustain the tempo.
He said until its demands are met by the NNPCL and NPDC, it won’t stop bombing oil facilities in the state saying is a prelude to full scale attacks on government infrastructure.
The Otorogun gas plant, according to ‘Masskiller’, is the group’s prime target, a facility he said will receive “baptism of fire soon.”
The condition for peace the group maintained, is withdrawal of the pipeline surveillance contact of OML 30 and 34 allegedly awarded by proxy to Zane Energy; an end to gas flaring in the state; commitment by the FG towards rehabilitation of the East-West Road for ease of movement; activation of the Delta Steal Company Aladja to engage Delta youths; Award of the pipeline surveillance contract to members of the Delta Strike Force, who were used to prosecute the war against Avengers in 2016; thorough investigation of those behind the award contract to Avengers.
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“All the promises made by the FG earlier in the year, the group want them fulfilled.”
Speaking to our correspondent in a condition of anonymity, some of the stakeholders of impacted communities alleged that the action of Delta Strike Force on oil facilities in their communities has political undertones.
“We perceived political undertones and envy in the action of the militia group, this is not ordinary they are belt to destroyed government properties in our communities government should catch out these miscreants and bring them to book.”
