Nigeria’s oil produc­tion and export suf­fered another set­back on Monday as Niger Delta militants blew up facilities owned by Shell Petro­leum Development Compa­ny of Nigeria (SPDC) at Camp Three near Batan Community in Warri South West Local Gov­ernment Area of Delta State.
The militants reportedly blew up the two trunk lines on Monday about12:30am.
Community and oil indus­try sources told The AUTHOR­ITY that the attack on the trunk lines led to massive spill in the area.
Camp Three was one of the militants’ strongholds during the 2009 militancy in the region.
Military sources also con­firmed the attack when contact­ed on Monday evening in Warri by The AUTHORITY.
It was learnt that the two lines supply crude to the Warri Refin­ery and the Forcados Export Ter­minal. The development led to a drop in the country’s export of crude oil and supply of the prod­uct to the Warri Refinery.
It was further gathered that the technical team of the Pipelines and Products Marketing Compa­ny (PPMC) did not gain access to the spot of the attacks when they arrived in the area.
A top military officer said that his men had a difficult time iden­tifying the spot.
At the time of filing this re­port, no group had claimed re­sponsibility for the attack, but community leaders said that the devastating spill from it had con­tinued.
The Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) are spearheading the re­newed attacks on oil facilities since President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office last year.
The Chairman of Batan Community, Dickson Ogugu, who also confirmed the attack, decried the spate of attacks in the area.
He lamented that his people were being endangered by the activities of the militants. He said that they could no longer fish or move freely because of the activ­ities of the militants.
The Public Relations Offic­er of the Delta State Police Com­mand, SP Celestina Kalu, ad­mitted that the attacks on the oil facilities took place.
He said: “There was some­thing of that nature at Camp Three in Batan Community. It happened around 0030hrs (on Monday).”
Officials of Shell have, howev­er, kept mute on the matter.
Meanwhile, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Ni­ger Delta (MEND) has present­ed a list of eminent Niger Delta leaders to President Buhari for di­alogue with the Federal Govern­ment. MEND named the leaders as its Aaron Team 2.
In the letter signed by MEND’s spokesman, Gbomo Jomo, the group named the lead­er of the Niger Delta Dialogue and Contact Group, Chief Al­fred Diette-Spiff, as its deputy team leader.
Others are wanted former militant leader, Government Ek­pemupolo (Tompolo), as a mem­ber of the dialogue team to repre­sent Delta State.
Other members are former Foreign Affairs Minister, Odein Ajumogobia, who will serve as the team leader; Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, Mr. Ledum Mitee, Senator Adolphus Wabara, Ibanga Isine, Alfred Isename and Timipa Ok­ponikpere.
MEND described Ajumogo­bia as a Nigerian with “unblem­ished record, character and in­tegrity and highly respected throughout the Niger Delta re­gion.”
According to MEND, Aju­mogobia is conversant with the problems facing the Niger Delta and was therefore capable to ne­gotiate with the Federal Govern­ment on how to end the crisis in the oil-rich region.
On Diette-Spiff, MEND said that as the first military gover­nor of the old Rivers State and re­nowned traditional ruler in Bayel­sa State, he has the ability to handle the issues involved.
MEND said that Senator Ita-Giwa, from Cross River State, will represent Bakassi militant groups and other communities from the area, while Wabara will represent Abia and Imo states.
MEND appealed to the gov­ernment to free the Okah broth­ers - Henry and Charles – because of their support for peace and the Niger Delta struggle.
While Henry Okah is held in prison in South Africa, Charles is detained and facing trial in Nige­ria.
Jomo Gbomo said: “If Sena­tor Ali Ndume, who is still facing a terror charge of sponsoring Boko Haram can be granted bail by the judiciary and thereby permitted to participate in nation-building at one of the highest levels as Sen­ate Majority Leader, then we see no reason why the Okah broth­ers who have enormous capacity to help government bring the Ni­ger Delta crisis to an end are still held in prison.
“Sir, cases abound in histo­ry where prisoners were released from prison to help save the na­tion in times of crises. Examples include the likes of the Hebrew slave Joseph who was released from prison to help save ancient Egypt from famine. Nelson Man­dela was also released from pris­on in 1990 to help restore multi-racial democracy in South Africa in 1994.
“We therefore urge the re­lease of Messrs Henry and Charles Okah similarly as former President Olusegun Obasanjo was released from prison to become President and help to nurture the then nas­cent democracy in 1999,” he said.