BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

PORT HARCOURT : MILITANTS under the aegis of Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta say they have blown up two oil facilities belonging to Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) in Rivers state.

A statement signed by spokesman of the militant body, Jomo Gbomo said the facilities were in Adamakiri and Kula. Adding that they were blown up at about 2:30am in the early hours of today.

The statement also threatened further militant attack on Chevron facilities in the region.

According to Gbomo  this was because the oil giant  allowed men of the Joint Task Force access to it facility in Excravos.

Meanwhile, Mr Precious Okolubo of the media department of Shell, confirmed the development to the Vanguard. “There have been two attacks against installations in our eastern operations. Impact to facilities , environment and production  is being investigated”, he said.

The MEND statement reads:  “Hurricane Piper Alpha unleashed its fury in Rivers state today, Sunday, June 21, 2009 leaving in its wake two battered oil installations. At about 0230 Hrs, the hurricane pounded the Shell major pipeline located at Adamakiri before moving on to another major Shell pipeline in Kula at 0300 Hrs. Both pipelines are located in Rivers state of Nigeria .

We have been reliably informed that the Chevron Air Strip in Escravos was used by the military as a staging area for the jet fighters and helicopter gunships used in the attacks and bombing of civilian communities in Gbaramatu kingdom of Delta state.

By allowing its facilities to be used in committing atrocities against the host communities where it drills oil and gas from, Chevron has repeated the same mistake by Shell against the Ogoni communities and will pay a price in double measure.””

Another statement from the militant at the time of filling in this report said a fresh attack was carried on another Shell facility. It reads,” Hurricane Piper Alpha lashed out at the Shell Off-shore Ofirma oil fields today, Sunday, June 21, 2009 at about 0400 Hrs blowing up  jacket A in the process. The structure is currently engulfed in fire.”